Dragon Eyes
by silverfey
Summary: Hogwarts accepts a new girl mid-year and she's got something - a few things - that she's not telling anyone...if she's not careful,she could easily turn the whole school upside down. Yule Ball,jealousy,family ties,Romance. Please R&R, flames are welcome.
1. New Girl

"Houses of Hogwarts!" Albus Dumbledore stood up, immediately claiming the attention of all. "I have an announcement to make. Tonight, we will be welcoming a new student."  
  
These words sent a flurry of whispers throughout the Great Hall. A new student? In the middle of the year?  
  
"Oh I hope it's a boy." A young Gryffindor sighed. "All the cute guys are either dead or they've graduated. Except for Malfoy." She added as an afterthought, glancing toward the Slytherin table across the hall.  
  
"Carrie!" her friend exclaimed, shocked. "He's a Slytherin!"  
  
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean he isn't cute." Carrie shot back. "Besides, what's wrong with saying so? It's not like I'm gonna date him or anything." she said calmly, her eyes locked on the blonde boy directly across from her.  
  
Her friend opened her mouth to comment, but was cut off by a sharp pinging noise from the head table. Professor Minerva McGonagall was rapping sharply on her glass for the student's attention.  
  
"Thank you, Minerva." Professor Dumbledore beamed at her, then turned his smile back to the students.  
  
"There is more to be said. Our new student arrived earlier this morning to be sorted, only to deliver a shock. Apparently, she belongs to a house called 'Gryslynclawff'. Unfortunately, as we had no founder named Gryslynclawff, that house shall have to be built." His eyes laughed along with the room as he paused, encouraging the titters until they died away.  
  
"Until then," he continued, "she shall be staying a week within each of your esteemed Houses and brought back to the Sorting Hat to see which of her, ah, attributes - if any - have been strengthened. Out of her strongest, she will continue to alternate between those two Houses for three to four months, depending on our staff's decision. Then, she will return yet again to the Sorting Hat for the final decision."  
  
Intrigued by this girl who had confused even the legendary Sorting Hat, all leaned forward in their seats - even the Professors - waiting for Dumbledore to continue.  
  
"As she has been tested for magical ability and placed in sixth year, she will have to make up her O.W.L. 's, so I implore each of you from every House to help her in any way - besides, of course, cheating." He added, eyes twinkling.  
  
"Now, may I present - who her guardians so graciously gave up - Kit." All were busy craning their necks to catch a glimpse of this mysterious girl - so few noticed Dumbledore's lack of surname, besides the teachers and a few sharp eared students. They looked questioningly at Dumbledore who just gave a slight shake of his head before retiring to his seat.  
  
The repeated rise of whispers drew all eyes toward the archway beyond the tables. Standing there was a petite figure who hesitantly stepped through the huge doors. Her black hair was roped down her back and swayed with her every move as she walked up to the High Table where Dumbledore was waiting. Her skin was smooth and pale, an ivory that contrasted sharply with her midnight hair. A slight curl fell gently over the right side of her face, shading her eyes from view.  
  
The room's occupants seemed to hold their breath as the girl stepped gracefully up to Dumbledore before turning around. He pointed to each table, saying, "Ravenclaws rise. Hufflepuffs, rise. Gryffindors, rise. Slytherins, rise." At the Slytherin table, silver latched onto silver and the room surrounding the pair dissolved. The two stared at each other intently, not coldly but aloof, as if measuring the other.  
  
*It's like staring into a broken mirror,* the new girl thought.  
  
*She's got my eyes in her face.* was Draco's immediate thought.  
  
The real world came back as Dumbledore said, "Kit will be attending first Hufflepuff, the Slytherin, followed by Gryffindor, and lastly - but not least - Ravenclaw. Ernie Macmillan, Hannah Abbot, as Prefects you two will be her first set of, ah, shall we say, guardians. Show her the ropes and help ease her workload when possible. Welcome, Kit, to Hogwarts! Goodnight, all!"  
  
And with that, the Houses stood and ambled off to their common rooms, Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbot weaving their way across the flow of people to reach the stranded girl.  
  
"Hello, I'm Ernie and this is Hannah. Just follow us for the next week." Kit greeted them both and looked them over briefly before turning her gaze back to the glacier eyed boy. Consequently, he was watching her as well. As the two were shoved and prodded forward in the wave of students, one thought soared through the two's minds as they offered each other a brief nod of acknowledgement before being swept away; *see you next week.* 


	2. First Day

Oh, i almost forgot, disclaimer!!:: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters except, of course, my own - J.K. Rowling, a fantasy/storytelling genius does!! ^_^ To my story!  
  
Chapter Two:: First Day  
  
"Draaacoooo!!" Pansy Parkinson whined in his ear, "What are you staring at?"  
  
He winced as her simpering voice brought him back to the Hall. For a moment, when locked by the girl's eyes, he was in another world - seemingly a step from heaven. Then Pansy had had to open her mouth.  
  
"Nothing," he answered as he tore his gaze from the new girl's retreating figure. "Nothing at all."  
  
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By the time they got to the Hufflepuff common room, Kit was certain of one thing; Ernie Macmillan could talk the ear off of a corn stalk. She hurried away from her captor by retiring almost immediately to bed.  
  
Ernie frowned once she left. "Doesn't say much, does she?"  
  
Hannah could hardly resist the wild urge to roll her eyes heavenward.  
  
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The next day brought the brisk promise of snow that every day of December held. Kit was perched on the rail of the bleachers, watching the Gryffindor's quidditch team practice. She was awed by their agility and speed away from the ground, hovering on pieces of wood strapped together.  
  
Her first day of school had been mad.  
  
Ernie had been up early patrolling and performing his other prefect duties. Unfortunately, Hannah informed her, he had her schedule. The two had waited for his return in the common room, missing breakfast, only for him to realize he had misplaced it. Kit then had had to go to Professor Sprout, Head of Hufflepuff, to request a new on, in the process missing her first two classes.  
  
She also lost track of her guides, becoming hopelessly lost with the staircases and walls and portraits that never seemed to stay in the same place. After missing two and a half classes, she had stumbled into Professor McGonagall, whose class just happened to be her next one.  
  
After that, she had managed to get to the following three lessons without much of a hitch. Lunch and her next class (Charms) went along nicely as well. But then - she had a run-in with Peeves. It wasn't exactly a normal run-in that all the other students had with the school poltergeist, either, with him tumbling you down the stairs or throwing your book bag into one of the suits of armor, then sitting there and blowing raspberries as you desperately tried to fish it out (she had seen that happen on the third level, next to the portrait of Wallaby the Wise). No, it was quite different.  
  
~*~FLASHBACK~*~  
  
"Say," Peeves began, eyes narrowing as he followed Kit across the ceiling, "Aren't you the naughty girl who confuzzled the old Rag Hat?"  
  
"Um." Kit wasn't sure how to answer. She shrugged. "Kinda," and kept walking, trying to keep Hannah in her sight as Peeves danced in front of her.  
  
"I heard you caught a lotta attention from the wee boys." He cackled as Kit's ears turned red. "Lotta attention, Kitkatabit." Oh no. Kit could feel her eyes begin to twitch.  
  
"Oh ho! Kitkatcorone, what a little rone, wandering there and to, without a single clue! Ha ha!"  
  
Kit's eyes snapped at Peeves, flicking like a candle for their regular silver to green to yellow. Peeves gasped with delight. "Oh ho, so we have a little hellion on our hands, do we? What fun!" he snickered evilly. *Oh no,* she thought with a groan. Suddenly, a figure barreled into her from behind, causing Peeves to start at her sudden lurch forward. He cackled again when he realized that she was being bowled over and disappeared, content with the thought that someone else was making her miserable.  
  
Now, the odd thing about this little exchange was that Peeves already knew about her. He knew why she was at Hogwarts - why she was five years lat - even if she didn't completely, and he knew what she could do. So why was he pretending otherwise? Was he pretending *for* someone? Ah, who knew the mind of Peeves!  
  
Anyway, the figure that had nearly run her over turned out to be a boy with vivid red hair and freckles. He seemed a tangle of arms and legs and it took a while for him to get off her while he continually spouted apologies.  
  
"He- hey! I know you!" His eyes widened as he gaped at the attractive figure in front of - well, actually under - him. "You're the new girl!" Suddenly he frowned. "Hey, but weren't your eyes grey last night?" Startled, Kit realized they had faded to a dull green.  
  
"Uh - nah, they, uh, they're an extreme hazel. Plus, I wear contacts, usually, but I took 'em out for today." She fibbed quickly. The lanky boy nodded. "Oh, okay."  
  
"Ron! *There* you are!" A pretty girl with wavy brown hair came up to them, panting. As soon as she got her breath back, she noticed Kit.  
  
"Oh, hello." She said warmly, "You must be Kit. I'm Hermione Granger, and from what I've seen, you've already met Ron. And this here behind me," she said as a dark haired boy crashed down the stairs behind her,  
  
"Is -"  
  
"Harry."  
  
He said, pushing his lopsided glasses back up his nose with one finger. "Harry Potter."  
  
"It - it's nice to meet you all," Kit said uncertainly. "I - I don't mean to be rude, but I'm supposed to be at class by now, and I - well, I'm kinda lost." Her voice trailed off as she gazed around hopelessly.  
  
"Which class?" Hermione queried.  
  
"Oh, ah, Potions." All three groaned. Kit looked at them bewilderedly.  
  
"Oh, don't mind us," Hermione said hastily, "and don't worry, our class is only a couple doors down. If we hurry, you'll only be -" she checked her watch. "Hufflepuff schedule? Five minute late." Kit's body sagged with relief, then she straightened up again.  
  
"Thanks" came her weak reply. "Which way?" Harry pointed and Kit was off like a shot, leaving the trio staring after her.  
  
"Wow." Harry cleared his throat. "She's fast." Then they, too, rocketed after her, yelling directions to the blur ahead as they ran.  
  
"See you in two weeks!" Ron hollered after her as she pushed into Potions class.  
  
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Halloo! what do you think of my second installment? Good? Or does it suck? This is the first encounter Kit has w/ the Fave Three. I think she's gonna run into Draco soon. After the first chapter, d'you think sparks should fly? Oh, and to Voldie On Varsity Track, yeah, my first attempt to post on ff.net. it failed.heheh.  
  
Oh, by the way, can anyone tell me how to get italics to show up? I'd be grateful beyond belief!! ^_^ 


	3. Hello

Thanks for coming back to read! And now, without further ado, I present to you...  
  
Chapter Three:: Hello  
  
"See you in two weeks!" Ron hollered after her as she pushed into Potions class.  
  
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Kit stumbled into Potions, the door banging off the wall loudly. Closing the door gently, she tried to catch her breath, aware of all the eyes upon her.  
  
"Ah," said the hook nosed teacher softly, "the prodigal student." The class tittered and Kit felt her ears redden again. She stared at the floor, breathing slowly, trying to keep her eyes focused. "Sorry," she blurted, "It's just that I had a - a run in with Peeves - and - well..." She shrugged helplessly, still staring at the floor. "S- sorry."  
  
"You should know," the man continued on as though she hadn't spoken, "I, unlike some, do not allow my students to be late and still expect to pass my class. As it is," his lips turned downward, "the Headmaster has made a case for you, as you will be required to take your O.W.L's this year. I am therefore required to 'let it slide'. But only this once. If you're late again, points will be deducted from your, ah, *current* house, with detention. Do I make myself clear Miss...?" Kit knew he expected her to answer with a surname. She struggled to keep her eyes steady on the ground. "Kit." she answered softly, inwardly wincing.  
  
"I expect your surname, girl." Well, that's too bad for you, seeing I don't have one! At least, that's what she would have liked to say, followed by a dramatic glare and whirling to stalk out of the class, head held high, all eyes watching her in awe as she left...  
  
Instead, she shrugged once more. "I- I don't have one."  
  
The teacher's eyes flashed. "Speak up," he sneered, "and look at me when I'm talking to you, even though I know your shoes must be dreadfully interesting." He said sarcastically. Kit obeyed and for a moment, her eyes sparked at the teacher, startling him. Her hands trembled as she struggled to hold their color.  
  
"I don't have one." She announced clearly. Her eyes were bright, the class noticed. A few of the Ravenclaws nudged each other and began to whisper, but a look from the professor silenced them all.  
  
"You are to address me as 'Sir' or 'Professor Snape', is that clear, Girl?" he sneered as he tossed out the last word.  
  
"Yes. Sir." The girl said bitterly. Snape waved his hand in dismissal. "You may be seated."  
  
Kit once again lowered her flaming eyes and walked stiffly over to where Hannah Abbot was waving frantically.  
  
"Oh, and see me after class." Professor Snape said. As he continued to talk, Kit scribbled down notes and thought. She hadn't really seen the Potions teacher all that clearly - her eyes had been unfocused as she tried to control them - but something about him had seemed familiar.  
  
She couldn't dwell on this for long, for the whispers flying about the room were quite distracting; they were all about her, in the guise of discussing the current potion.  
  
"Bet her mother never married -"  
  
"- she's a brat? In the literal sense? I heard -"  
  
"- think she's an orphan, true and -"  
  
"Why doesn't she use her mother's name? Strange -"  
  
"- wonder if she even had a mother -"  
  
"What if she's fey?"  
  
Suddenly, the Professor whirled and all talking of potions, Kit, or otherwise ceased.  
  
"The next person to utter a word, unless it's 'Professor' or 'Sir' or the incantation for the final step of the potion will have fifty points deducted from their House." A blanket of silence settled over the class until the end of the lesson. All was silent except for the sound of quills and the occasional stirring.  
  
~*~END FLASHBACK~*~ 


	4. Flying Lessons

Things get a bit heated in this next installment... oohoo, what can Kit do?? Okay, shutting up before I give anything away... enjoy!!  
  
Chapter Four:: Flying Lessons  
  
It turned out that the only reason she had to sit and wait in that dank, empty classroom was because Snape had taken his own precious time sorting his stuff before 'discussing' as he called it, her punishment for tardiness and blah blah blah. That lecture had sure added a spring to her step at the end of the day.  
  
Suddenly, a face popped up in front of her. "Hey." It said. Kit leaned hurriedly away from the stranger before realizing it was the dark haired boy she had met earlier in the day - but too late. Her perch on the rail was already precarious and as over half her weight leaned away from this boy, the other half followed and she tumbled from the bleachers. *Good lord,* she thought, *am I to die just after my first day of school?*  
  
Just as suddenly as her plummet began, it stopped with a sharp tug on the back of her robes. A gasp escaped her lips as she felt herself being hauled upward and found herself staring into the same face - though now considerably paler. The boy gave a weak laugh. "Guess I, um, startled you a bit. Er, sorry."  
  
"D - d'you meet everyone like this?" Kit gulped as she held onto the boy's shoulders.  
  
He grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. I just noticed you watching our practice and decided I'd fly over and say hi. You being new and all, I figured you might enjoy the company." Kit managed a small smile.  
  
"Don't worry, I'm getting used to falling. It seems that any natural grace I once possessed has left me. Ugh," she added after a pause, "I still feel so lightheaded."  
  
"Ah, it's a common side affect to flying, don't worry." Kit looked down and gave a small gasp. They were at least twenty feet off the ground and still rising, but so slowly, she could hardly tell they were moving at all. She clung tighter to the boy facing her, pressing against him. He flushed.  
  
"Um, would you mind not holding that close?" Looking up from the ground that was now so far beneath her, she realized she was nose to nose with him.  
  
"S - sorry," she stammered out, "It's just, I've never left the ground behind before." The boy's luminous green eyes seemed to be laughing.  
  
Solemnly, he said, "Then that means you've never flown before, meaning you don't know what you're missing. C'mon, I'll teach you!" His face was eager; Kit could hardly resist the offer. Now that she was over the initial shock of having nothing supporting her but a few bits of wood, she found she was enjoying joining the clouds above the earth. But... she hesitated.  
  
"Oh, I wish I could." she said with a sigh. The boy's face fell. "Why couldn't you?" "I - I don't have a broom." she said a bit startled, thinking it obvious. He relaxed.  
  
"Oh, is that all. We can borrow one from the Quidditch shed." Kit's eyes lit up.  
  
"Really?" The boy shrugged. "Well, the Slytherins are practicing right now - they as soon as we got off the field, for once actually waiting." He made a face. "But I'm sure we can practice at the edge of the pitch. No one will mind...too much." He added under his breath.  
  
By now, they had floated back near the ground and hovered a couple feet, leaving their feet to dangle. As soon as he said this, Kit leapt of the broom. "Let's go, then!" Amused by her enthusiasm, the boy dismounted slower.  
  
"Um, I kinda forgot your name. I hope you're not mad or anything..." His voice trailed off as he shifted uncomfortably. Kit laughed.  
  
"Not at all. We only met for like two seconds, anyway. My name is Kit." and she thrust her hand out toward him.  
  
"Now, I hope you don't mind if I ask you to refresh my memory?" she said, cocking her head to one side. He took her hand and shook it, looking slightly amazed that she had asked his name.  
  
"Oh yeah, um, I'm Harry Potter."  
  
Kit gave a slight nod. "Harry Potter. Got it." Then, linking her arm through his, she began to march comically forward.  
  
"Off to the - what is it? Kwilitch? - Oh, okay, off to the Quidditch shack!"  
  
"Um," Harry struggled not to laugh, "The Quidditch shack is the other way." He said pointing.  
  
"Oh. Right." And they about faced and headed in the opposite direction.  
  
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Five minutes later, they were out in the pitch, brooms in hand and ready to begin her first flying lesson. Ten minutes later, Harry had finished positioning her and correcting her grip. Another fifteen minutes and they were up in the air again - this time on separate brooms.  
  
Harry had warned her to start out low, in case she fell, but she couldn't help but going higher. The feel of flying was so - so - exhilarating; she had to soar up high enough to share her joy with the clouds. Daringly, she did a loop-the-loop and spun wildly through the air, overjoyed. How could she have missed out on something so wonderful for so long?  
  
Oh, here came Harry - she hoped he wasn't too upset, but he was yelling something - she couldn't make it out. Chagrined, Kit began to descend slowly back toward the ground, when she felt, rather than saw, an object hurtling her way. Instinctively, she pulled back - just as a round, black ball shot past her, exactly where her nose had been. She knew it had turned around, and this time she ducked as it pelted toward her, once again leaving it to soar harmlessly over her. What was that thing?  
  
Suddenly, a blonde boy appeared in front of her, and as that - thing - came back one last time, he whacked it with all his might with a small wooden bat, sending it spiraling to the other end of the field.  
  
"Crabbe! What the bloody devil were you thinking?!" He yelled to a bulky figure that looked like he could crush the blonde boy into a pulp.  
  
"I - it's okay, really -" Kit began, but was surprised to see the hulk lift his meaty shoulders into a shrug and call back a halfhearted, "Sorry!" Apparently, he was the one who had shot the thing at her, though he was currently paddle-less. The blonde boy seemed to be in possession of it. Ignoring the apology, the boy turned toward her as they sank from the sky.  
  
"Are you all right?" he asked, his silver eyes catching the light, glinting.  
  
"Y- yes, thank you. What was that thing, anyway?" She asked, surprised at her breathlessness. She shrugged mentally; excitement.  
  
"Oh, that was just a bludger." He said dismissively. "You sure you're okay?"  
  
"Yeah, thanks to you." she answered.  
  
This seemed to satisfy him. "Oh, okay." The blonde boy gazed at her intently. Kit stared back. He was cute. His face was slim and handsome, with high cheekbones and skin that seemed as light as her own - now tinged pink by the December chill. His platinum blonde hair, slightly tousled by the wind, and his silver eyes seemed to accentuate this all the more.  
  
She found her eyes next drawn to his lips - the perfect shade, not extremely dark as to clash with his face, but not so light as to blend in. They were the color of a peach ripe for picking, tinged with red... *what the heck am I thinking?* she could feel the tips of her ears redden.  
  
"My name's Draco Malfoy." The boy said abruptly, his eyes fixed on her face, a slight smirk lingering on his - perfect - lips.  
  
"Oh, I'm Kit." She said, holding her hand out for him to shake. Instead, he shocked her by bowing over it and brushing his lips over the back of her hand. Before she could stop it, Kit felt her eyes change from silver to green in surprise before flicking to an amber with embarrassment. As his eyes were still fixed on her face, she highly doubted he could have missed the change, but if he noticed, he didn't mention it. "It's an honor to meet you, Kit." He said softly.  
  
Just as Kit was about to stammer out a reply - he was still holding her hand - Harry came running up to them, broom in hand.  
  
"Kit!" He exclaimed, panting heavily. "Are you okay?"  
  
"No thanks to you, Golden Boy." Draco answered. "I guess your broom isn't as great as all that." He said, sneering. Kit shot him a strange look as she turned to face Harry. His face was stony, but both boys' eyes sent out a positive loathing for the other.  
  
"Yea, I'm all right Harry. Draco shot the bludger away down the field." Harry winced.  
  
"You're already on a first name basis with him?" He blurted. This time the Look was sent Harry's way.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Yeah, Golden Boy," Draco smirked at Harry, "why not?" Glancing down at the two's hands, Harry opened his mouth but was cut off by a gasp from Kit.  
  
"Ohmigosh, Hannah is going to have a fit! I'm so late to study with her!" And with that, she gently eased her hand from Draco's grasp, pecked both boys on the cheek and ran off, leaving the two dumbfounded. Harry and Draco stared at each other in silence, for once having no glib replies at the ready to toss off at the other. They mirrored each other's expression perfectly: Shock.  
  
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Twenty minutes later, a thoroughly chagrined Kit sat in front of a stern faced Hannah, head hanging.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Hannah. It's just that I met this one guy, Harry Potter, and he offered to teach me to fly and then I ran into another guy, Draco Malfoy, I think, yeah, well, he kinda saved me, and anyway, *they* ran into each other after I had an incident with this black ball, Draco called it a bludger - fitting name -" Kit took a breath before finishing with, "- and I'm pretty sure that they - Harry and Draco - didn't have too good of a history together... um. D'you forgive me?" She said sheepishly.  
  
The once stern Hannah Abbot was now a thunderstruck Hannah Abbot.  
  
"Harry Potter - The Harry Potter - is giving you flying lessons? Malfoy saved you? Girl, what have you been doing today?"  
  
"Oh, I've been here and there by accident..." Kit said vaguely, waving her hand. "But do you forgive me?"  
  
"Of course I forgive you," Hannah said impatiently, "On the condition that you tell me *everything* that happened when I wasn't around you."  
  
So Kit began.  
  
At the end of her tale, Hannah slowly sank back into the big sofa recliner she was sitting in. She laughed weakly.  
  
"Saying the Harry and Malfoy 'don't have a good history together' is an understatement. Those two are enemies of the worst kind... to think you've caught the attention of both... this could mean war, even though both already have girlfriends." She said teasingly. Kit flushed.  
  
"Uh oh."  
  
"What? What's uh-oh mean?" Hannah demanded. Kit shifted uncomfortably in the chair next to her.  
  
"It's just that, well." She cleared her throat. "Um, on a grand scale from 1-10, how much worse do you think things could get if I...kinda happened to... um..."  
  
"Spit it out!"  
  
"...kiss them?"  
  
"You did WHAT?!" Hannah shrieked, rising once again out of her chair.  
  
"To who? When? Did the other see? Did *anyone* see?"  
  
Kit shrank down in her seat.  
  
"Both of them on the cheek, when I was leaving. They were glaring daggers at each other when I did it, they'd have to be blind not to have noticed." She shifted again, agitated.  
  
"I hadn't really thought about it. I mean, I usually do it when I say goodbye. The Slytherin Quidditch team was there, too. I didn't really think about them either." She cringed. Just then, Ernie Macmillan strode over to see what the commotion was.  
  
"Ladies, ladies, what's going on? It can't be bad enough to start yelling. Hannah, sit down, you're a prefect, what kind of example are you setting? Kit, stop fidgeting." Both girls obeyed, Hannah sinking weakly back into her chair, Kit folding her hands tightly in her lap. Satisfied with their prompt obedience, Ernie asked,  
  
"Now, what's the problem? You two are supposed to be doing you homework and studying for the upcoming test in Herbology." So Hannah recited Kit's first day to Ernie, her voice trembling with shock. At the end of the narration, Ernie was left gaping like a stranded fish; for once, he was left speechless.  
  
"Jeez, Kit," he said weakly when he got his voice back, "You *kissed* the two greatest enemies in all of Hogwarts, in front of the entire Slytherin Quidditch team?"  
  
"It was on the cheek," Kit said defensively, her stomach sinking, "and not all of them were watching from the air."  
  
"Yeah, but they'll all definitely know by now, with a couple extra details, seeing as it was Malfoy you kissed. You mightn't have known this, but he's exactly the kiss-and-tell type." He shot back.  
  
"Ernie." Hannah warned. The three were silent.  
  
"Well." Ernie said after a pause, standing up again. "There's nothing we can do but hope for the best." His face told the two girls he had no idea what the 'best' was.  
  
"Oh, come on, you guys!" Kit blurted, "You're acting like somebody died!" Ernie didn't answer, just wandered away from their table. After a while, the two continued with their work in silence. Kit's mind was racing furiously, replaying all that had happened.  
  
Why was she always so dumb? Not that it all had been her fault. Sure, kissing the two might've been her fault, as well as ignoring their plain hatred of the other. But she hadn't known that Harry Potter happened to be the Boy Who Lived, in all caps, not to mention the one who sent Draco Malfoy's father to soundingly the worst place on earth - not that he had stayed there for long, but still.  
  
She did think that Ernie and Hannah were exaggerating a bit on Draco's complete horridness. They made him sound like the most despicable git on earth. But he wasn't as bad as all that - he couldn't be; sure, he was a little slick, but hey, anyone with his looks deserved to b.  
  
Kit finished her work and slowly trundled off to bed, trying not to envision the day looming ahead of her. 


	5. Breakfast in the Great Hall

As usual, please read and review...it'll get more interesting as it goes along, heheh...  
  
Chapter Five:: Breakfast in the Great Hall  
  
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Breakfast in the Great Hall. 8 a.m.  
  
The room was filled with whispers and glances as Kit entered the Great Hall, trailing after Hannah. As she sat down at the Hufflepuff table, silence fell. All eyes were watching her, seemingly waiting. After the first four bites, Kit shot upright, slamming her hands down on the table top, sending more than one student lunging to steady a plate or glass.  
  
"Cor, it was only the cheek, people! What's the freakin' deal?!"  
  
Her shout reverberated through the Great Hall as she glared around, ignoring Hannah's insistent tugging and Professor McGonagall's shocked expression.  
  
"Kit!" She exclaimed, "What is the meaning of this?"  
  
"Just explaining an... issue, Professor."  
  
"Kit!" Hannah was hissing at her new friend, mortified, "Kit, sit down this instant!" Reluctantly, she complied, and as the other girl anxiously tried to calm her down, everyone else kept staring.  
  
"I think I'm done with breakfast." She muttered, shoving herself away from the table and stalking from the room.  
  
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Pansy Parkinson glared after the figure retreating from the Hall before turning back to Draco Malfoy. She opened her mouth to speak, but Vincent Crabbe beat her to the punch.  
  
"Whoa, the new girl's a bit intense. Is it true you snogged her at Quidditch the other day? I heard I turned away the second it happened." Gregory Goyle snorted into his pumpkin juice two seats down, and the edges of Draco's mouth twitched upward. Pansy, needless to say, was less than amused.  
  
"Shove it, Crabbe." She snarled. Grumbling, he shut up and turned back to his breakfast.  
  
"So, Draco," Pansy purred falsely, "I just have to know. Did that little sprite actually kiss you?" Goyle and Crabbe begin to mutter bitterly over this, but as Draco was staring into space, he didn't notice the peculiar edge to the Slytherin girl's voice.  
  
"Sure did." He said with a smirk. He didn't notice her cheeks flush or her jaw clench angrily. He didn't notice when she stood up and moved stiffly away from the table. Only when she began to follow Kit's path did he realize she'd left.  
  
"Hey, Pansy!" He called out, "Pansy, where are you going? Pansy!"  
  
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"Harry Potter," Ravenclaw Cho Chang began, her voice icy, "Did you really let that new girl kiss you?" Harry had just been about to swallow his pumpkin juice when Cho had approached their table; now it shot out his mouth onto the surrounding area.  
  
"Eww..." Hermione wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Attractive, Harry."  
  
Harry stared up at Cho bewilderedly.  
  
"What do you mean, 'let'?" He asked, completely ignoring all the gestures to "shut up" coming from both Ron and Hermione. Cho's gaze flicked to Ron, who was still motioning frantically at Harry until he let out a loud "Oof". Apparently, Hermione had kicked him. Cho let out a small, "Ah" before turning away from the table and stalking toward the doors of the Great Hall.  
  
"Hey Cho! Wait!" He called after her. Ignoring him, she disappeared from the room. Turning back in his seat, he gazed at the clear blue ceiling above him, dotted with clouds.  
  
"What was that all about?" He wondered aloud. Looking back down, he caught Hermione rolling her eyes.  
  
"What?" He asked defensively, but Hermione only sighed worriedly. Ron, on the other hand, began sniggering uncontrollably until Harry glared at him.  
  
"You sure have a way with women, mate." He managed to choke out before collapsing again into giggles. Harry continued to glare at him bewilderedly until Hermione stood up abruptly, saying  
  
"I'm going to go look for Kit." Then she, too, disappeared. Across the Hall, another seat at Slytherin was also empty. Trouble was in the air.  
  
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Cliff hanger!! Okay, this is my fifth chapter up... I need more reviews, people!!! otherwise... I might be forced to do something drastic... not that I know what that'll be yet, but just so the threat hangs in the air for now... review review review!!! ^_^  
  
the regular disclaimers apply to my story... ugh, how I envy JK Rowling's mind!!! 


	6. The Scent of Trouble

Hallo! I know it's been a while, sorry... school started up again and all...but better late than never, eh? Onto the story!!  
  
Disclaimer: Yeah, I wish... the only characters I own are my own, though, like many, infinite others, I wouldn't mind owning Draco... heheh, I'd only take him for a while, y'know...  
  
Chapter Six:: The Scent of Trouble  
  
Kit stalked furiously down the corridor, oblivious to where she was going. It was only her second day at Hogwarts and already she was wishing for a hole to crawl into. Those gits in the Great Hall knew nothing! It was just a kiss on the cheek! Everyone did it to their family and friends.  
  
This wasn't any different... for all they knew...  
  
(aah, but they didn't know)  
  
said a little voice in her head.  
  
(They only got their information by word of mouth)  
  
*Oh, shut up!* she thought furiously.  
  
(You know it's true)  
  
the little voice persisted.  
  
*Well, even still,* she thought, *they had no right to- to-*  
  
(To speculate?) the voice suggested.  
  
Kit gnashed her teeth in resignation. No matter how much she wanted to act on her heart's emotions, her mind was always there to reason things out. Kit slowed her pace and finally pulled back to reality. As her anger seeped away, she realized a horrifying fact: She was lost.  
  
Oh. No.  
  
Kit went numb. She hated not knowing what to do - being helpless. It was the worst feeling in the world, next to loneliness, and the two went hand in hand. For a moment, she stood there, paralyzed. Then her brain kicked in and she began listening hard. Surely breakfast would be ending soon... someone would be coming toward her eventually... they could tell her where to go. And if worst came to worst, she could always wander until her feet fell off.  
  
Sure enough, in a couple minutes, footsteps could be heard tapping near her. Kit let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding; the wandering idea really hadn't been very appealing to her.  
  
"Hello?" She called out eagerly, taking a few steps in the direction of the sounds. "Um, I'm kinda lost and I was wondering if you could give me a hand."  
  
The footsteps around the corner had stopped. Uncertainly, Kit moved forward again. The footsteps resumed - it seemed they had been joined by a second person.  
  
Suddenly, two people rounded the corner to face her. Kit blew out her cheeks in sigh and relaxed, waiting for the pair to speak, noting one girl as a Slytherin and the other as a Ravenclaw. *Odd match*, she thought absently.  
  
The girls watched her stonily. Shifting uncomfortably, Kit ventured,  
  
"Do you mind answering a question? See, I'm, well, I kinda got lost, so if you could just tell me how far from the Hufflepuff common room I am... or how far from Charms class..." She trailed off and cleared her throat before finishing with, "Um, I guess I'd, um, be really grateful...."  
  
Finally, the Ravenclaw spoke.  
  
"We'll answer that question if you tell us one thing." She said coolly. Taken aback somewhat by her tone, Kit nodded.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Did you kiss Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy yesterday afternoon?"  
  
Abruptly, Kit felt a twinge of her earlier resentment return. They had no business asking... she didn't have to answer... but that little voice came back to scold her.  
  
(At least they're asking. Just answer them politely, short and sweet. Then they'll tell you how to get to classes. At least they're not simply believing that you were busy all afternoon snogging them both silly. Like you even knew them for more than twenty minutes!)  
  
The voice scoffed.  
  
(As if!)  
  
Still, Kit was mad. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself before answering.  
  
"Yes, I did kiss them as I said goodbye, but it was only on the cheek, unlike everybody else's hotter versions say."  
  
At least, that was what Kit had been planning to say. Instead, she got as far as,  
  
"Yes, I did -"  
  
before being cut off by a resounding FWAP! that echoed through the corridor.  
  
The Slytherin's hand had come up out of nowhere and stuck the girl across the face. As soon as her vision cleared and her brain had registered what had happened, Kit's shout of "What the bloody devil was that for?!" rang out.  
  
"Spoken like a true Brit, even though you aren't." The Slytherin girl sneered. "Now, I don't know if in America it's the natural thing to go about snogging other people's boyfriends and then bragging about it, but it sure as heII isn't liked much here."  
  
Kit stared at the girl in shock.  
  
"Pansy, don't hit her." The Ravenclaw's voice broke in - though she looked like she was ready to copy the Slytherin girl.  
  
"What the heII are you talking about? Cor, it was on the cheek!" Kit yelled. "What is with you people? What difference does it make if I say goodbye with - with a - a measly little kiss?!"  
  
"The difference is, Kit -" she practically spit out her name, "- is that a normal goodbye kiss doesn't send guys off to la la land for the next 24 hours." The Ravenclaw said icily.  
  
"Ever since yesterday, when Harry came from Quidditch practice to study with me - a half an hour late - he's been in his own little world and alternating between absurdly cheerful and absurdly confused and then he's happy for no reason at all -"  
  
"- and Draco hasn't been listening to a word I've said in the past two days." Pansy butted in, glaring furiously at Kit  
  
(As if it really were my fault!)  
  
"That's not anything new, Pansy, or do you just mean he's been paying less attention than usual?" Cho remarked acidly. Pansy flushed.  
  
"Shut up, Cho." She snarled.  
  
"From what the team told me, your Golden boy was practically drooling and could hardly hold still, his tail was wagging so hard. I hear Potter was practically throwing himself at this little slut." She smirked at the brightly flushed Cho.  
  
"Too bad for you, Cho. Seems like you're out of luck in the guy department; maybe you should lay off for a while."  
  
"Shut *up*, Pansy!" Cho exclaimed, voice shrill.  
  
All the while, Kit stood listening to the two girls bicker over their 'boyfriends' more like they were material possessions than anything. Disgust merged with her confusion a blended into anger. She didn't deserve to be treated like this between these two twits. They didn't deserve their boyfriends, they were selfish, self centered, jealous brats... they didn't even have anything to be jealous over!  
  
She hated these situations.  
  
She didn't do a thing and others didn't like her because of how she looked or how her eyes weren't 'natural', how she acted wasn't 'natural', when all she did was act, talk and look like a normal 15 year old.  
  
She hated these situations.  
  
With these thoughts fresh in her mind, her emotions were raw. She was seething - she didn't even think about what she was saying - she could hardly hear what she was saying. There was a roaring in her ears, but whatever she said made time stand still.  
  
Cho and Pansy were staring at her in an astonishment that quickly shifted to fury.  
  
"You little witch..." (A/N: I know, they're all witches, but this is my alternative to swearing)  
  
Cho's slender fist came up and around with a tremendous force that sent Kit staggering back. Before she could fall, Pansy had grabbed her by the robes and yanked her upright before sending her fist slamming into her face. This time, Kit did fall, her head smashing up against the pillar behind her. A random thought passed through her head before passing out, *I'll never be so stupid again... never... nev...*  
  
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heheh, a cliff hanger... whaddya think?? Please read and review! I'm begging you!!! 


	7. The Scent of Trouble Pt 2

Okay, here is my seventh installment, and NO, I DO NOT own HARRY POTTER or ANY of J.K ROWLING'S characters... only in my dreams... although those ones are pretty wonderful....  
  
Chapter Seven:: The Scent of Trouble Pt. 2  
  
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Hermione Granger stood stock still, horrified by the scene in front of her. The new girl lay crumpled against the pillar, blood seeping down her neck to be absorbed by her dark robes. Pansy Parkinson and Cho Chang stood watching her, the Ravenclaw apparently struggling - either to hold Pansy back or to not lunge at the girl herself.  
  
"What did you do?" Hermione's quite gasp filled the corridor. Pansy and Cho froze, watching her flee the way she'd come.  
  
Hermione raced back down the hall and down the steps, smacking into a figure coming up.  
  
"Sorry." She gasped without looking up, "Please - I need your help - could you -"  
  
Her words died on her lips as she recognized Draco Malfoy leering down at her. He had held out his hand to help her up, but quickly drew back once he realized the fallen figure to be Hermione.  
  
"Granger," He sneered unpleasantly as she picked herself up, "Where's your boyfriend?" His eyes wandered around the empty hall, "Still stuffing his ugly mug in the Great Hall?"  
  
"Not *now*, Malfoy!" Hermione growled, "Like it or not, I need your help and I need it now."  
  
"Why should I bother?" He drawled in a bored voice.  
  
"Because it could be a matter of life and death!" Hermione yelled in his face.  
  
Looking a bit stunned, Malfoy followed her brisk pace as she explained.  
  
"Making a long story short, your girlfriend and Harry's decided to knock Kit around - for some unbeknownst reason." She added scathingly. (A/N: She caught on fast!)  
  
Malfoy winced and cast a glance at Hermione.  
  
"So, what are we supposed to do?" He ventured. Hermione snorted impatiently.  
  
"YOU are going to bring her to Madame Pomfrey. *I* am going to get Professor McGonagall." She stopped abruptly at a long corridor.  
  
"They're down there. And Malfoy," She added anxiously, "Hurry up, okay?" And she disappeared down the opposite hall.  
  
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" '*You* are going to bring her to Madame Pomfrey' " He mocked softly as he walked down the hall. "Yeah, I'll do it all right... stupid mud blood... bet she's exaggerating - it can't be that bad." He snorted aloud. "Can't wait to see what got you riled, Granger."  
  
By the time he got to the end of the hall, he was back to his usual charming self. Turning the corner, his trademark sneer at the ready, he blanched at the sight. The girl - Kit - was there all right. The problem was, she was (apparently) unconscious and a steady flow of blood was trailing down her robes. He had thought Granger had meant that Kit had gotten into a cat fight and was crying somewhere. This picture was anything but what he'd thought.  
  
Her face was all scratched up and her eye was purpling. On her left cheek were ugly gashes, the kind a ring would give you... his eyes traveled to his girlfriend's left hand. He let out a gasp, alerting Pansy and Harry's girlfriend, Cho, to his presence.  
  
"What the heck did you do?" He hissed, eyes darting from Pansy to the unconscious girl. She didn't answer.  
  
"Malfoy?" An uncertain voice came from the entrance of the corridor.  
  
"Cho? What are you doing here?" It was Potter. "What -?" A sharp intake of breath, then Potter's eyes traveled the same way his had, now adding Malfoy to the equation. Turning quickly, he spread out his hands.  
  
"I have nothing to do with this. Granger - Granger sent me here."  
  
Harry nodded slowly, taking in Malfoy's greenish complexion.  
  
"Wh- what happened?" He asked, clearing his throat. Malfoy shrugged.  
  
"Dunno. Something between the girls here." Harry turned his eyes unwillingly to Cho.  
  
"Cho? What happened?" He asked hesitantly. Silent, Cho lowered her eyes to the floor. Draco had to hold back a smirk. He was sure that once this all ended, Cho would end up locking herself up somewhere for a good cry.  
  
He shifted and glanced at Kit. His face had lost some of its greenish complexion.  
  
"Listen Potter," He said abruptly, "I need to get the girl to Madame Pomfrey. Stay here and make sure they don't - run or anything."  
  
Harry reddened.  
  
"Look, Malfoy, I don't -"  
  
"Potter, I'd love to stay and argue with you right now," Malfoy cut in, "but she's already been unconscious for too long. You don't look like you're up to carrying anything, and she's probably got a concussion." He recited.  
  
Harry snorted. It wasn't as if Malfoy looked much better. But, reluctantly, he realized he was right.  
  
"Good." Draco said smugly. "Now, just wait here 'til Granger gets back with McGonagall."  
  
Before anyone could say anything further, he had scooped up the girl - "Watch her head!" "I know, Potter!" - and he headed up toward the infirmary.  
  
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C'mon, peeps, i want moooorrrrreeeeeee reviews!! so start reading! then, see that little go button on the bottom of the web page??? HIT IT!! Even if you can't think of anything... i heartily welcome flames as well!! SO TYPE!!  
  
Ahem.  
  
Anyway, thank you to the peeps who DID r&r... ur gr8!  
  
Sandy Black and Vicky Lupin:: This is from sandy black and her cousin: THIS IS QUITE NICE! I CANT WAIT FOR MORE CHAPTER! YOU ARE GOOD AT THE SUPENSE!  
  
darcosluv019:: ooh bad kit lol kewl story! 


	8. Nightmare

Okay, who here doesn't wish?? this gets old... rowling, I hope you're happy with all the disclaimers we writers make on your behalf....  
  
Chapter Eight:: Dream  
  
~*~ Dream ~*~  
  
Everything was dark. Light was a forgotten thing.  
  
As she stepped slowly forward, the only sound was of her feet hitting the ground with a dull thud.  
  
Her head ached tirelessly and her eyes throbbed as she strained to see anything but black.  
  
Where was she?  
  
She didn't know, couldn't tell, didn't care.  
  
(This isn't real)  
  
something told her  
  
(It can't be real)  
  
(We weren't here before)  
  
(But then -)  
  
(Where were we?)  
  
Her tired mind struggled to remember.  
  
But what was the point?  
  
A hall - no, corridor -  
  
flashed in her mind's eye.  
  
But what was the use - hall, room, chimney, store -  
  
It didn't matter if she remembered or not.  
  
*Don't you just want it all to end?*  
  
The new voice was soothing, slowing down her already sluggish thoughts, coming from the shadows and enshrouding her in their thick dullness that blanketed everything else.  
  
*Wouldn't it be nice to leave all this darkness?*  
  
Her headache eased.  
  
*Don't you want everything to ease away - for this nightmare to end?*  
  
She wished she could open her eyes.  
  
She'd already forgotten what had made her headache so terrible in the first place.  
  
Her eyes felt peculiar. As though color were leaking from them. She felt sad. Could her eyes die?  
  
She didn't want them to  
  
She didn't want them  
  
She didn't to  
  
She didn't want to -  
  
What?  
  
Die.  
  
A window opened beneath her.  
  
Down there lay a girl. Her eyes lay open and she felt an urge to peer into them. She did. They had color, even though she was dead. She was her. She was dead.  
  
She didn't want to die -  
  
Dream Nightmare Subconscious Unconscious  
  
Death -  
  
- (Life) -  
  
She was her!  
  
She wanted to live - the window opened and dropped her down to the almost colorless girl named -  
  
"Kit!"  
  
With a gasp, she shot upright with a jerk. The back of her head throbbed with a vengeance. The room spun...  
  
"Kit, are you okay? Y - you look like you're going to be sick." said a soft voice next to her bed.  
  
For a moment, she didn't answer as she gazed around. All thoughts of a dream had left her.  
  
She was in a large room filled with neatly mad and squared beds. At the moment, hers was the only one occupied. Kit guessed she was in the infirmary - but why? Finally, her eyes came to rest on the person beside her. Her vision swam as she tried to bring the person into focus.  
  
"Who are you?" She whispered faintly before once again seeing black.  
  
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	9. Dream

I'm back with more!! keep on reading, peeps, and start reviewing more!  
  
Disclaimer: Yeah, I wish... life is not fair when it comes to other peep's master pieces... especially rowling's!  
  
Heheh... okay, last time, I was incredibly mean by leaving ya'll with a cliffie... so here's what happened:  
  
"Kit, are you okay? Y - you look like you're going to be sick." said a soft voice next to her bed.  
  
For a moment, she didn't answer as she gazed around. All thoughts of a dream had left her.  
  
She was in a large room filled with neatly mad and squared beds. At the moment, hers was the only one occupied. Kit guessed she was in the infirmary - but why? Finally, her eyes came to rest on the person beside her. Her vision swam as she tried to bring the person into focus.  
  
"Who are you?" She whispered faintly before once again seeing black.  
  
~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~  
  
And here's what's going to happen:  
  
Chapter Nine:: Dream  
  
This time, she wasn't in darkness. She was surrounded by vibrant colors, all shades and tones. She didn't know where she was, but this time, she wasn't alone.  
  
"Darling, it's been so long since I've been near you!" A pair of arms enfolded her gently, minding her head. The arms were soft and belonged to someone beloved.  
  
Looking up, she stared amazedly into the face of her mother.  
  
She was smiling brightly; her entire face was lit up. Her silver eyes glinted in the light that surrounded them before changing to green to brown to settle on violet. Her long brown hair cascaded softly over her shoulders in big loose waves that framed her face's gentle features.  
  
She looked like an angel.  
  
For a moment, all Kit could do was stare. She felt a prickling behind her eyes, and her throat began to close up. Silently, she stepped closer into her mother's should-be-phantom embrace.  
  
"Kit, darling." Her mother spoke suddenly as she stroked her daughter's hair, "I've missed you. I'm sorry to say, I'm being a bit selfish."  
  
Kit pulled away to look up to her mother. "Why?" She asked.  
  
"Well, I'm actually very happy that you're here - even though I know at what risk."  
  
"I don't care," Kit murmured into her mother's dress, "I want to stay forever."  
  
A sorrowful smile crossed her mother's face - her mother, the beautiful Seira, the most wonderful person on earth or above it.  
  
"I wish you could stay, Kit - then again, I don't. This is going to sound cheesy, but you've hardly begun to live - and you can't abandon the path you've started on to take a shortcut. You need to go back."  
  
Tears began to trickle down her mother's face, and when she shook her head, droplets flew off her face.  
  
"Mama -" Kit cut herself off by shoving herself into her mother's arms again, trying to soak in enough of her mother to make a lasting memory. Her mother began to rock, slowly and gently, lulling her daughter's sobs away until only hiccups remained.  
  
Cupping Kit's chin in her hand, she tilted the girl's face up.  
  
"Do you feel any better?" She asked softly.  
  
"Not really." Her mother's lips twitched.  
  
"I thought not."  
  
Standing up, she pulled her daughter along to an oak tree and sat down on a low branch. After a moment, Kit sat beside her, resting her head against her shoulder. Then her mother began to speak. She told Kit all that had happened to her and why she was in the infirmary. She told her about her dream and what she saw. She told her all about the students currently residing in Hogwarts ("They should write a book on what's happened to Harry over the years!") She told her about the student's lives (she cried during Harry's and Draco's). Finally, she told her what had happened in the school after she had her 'incident' with the other girls and why it happened.  
  
"Your eyes are more than just a... a unique eye coloring. Unfortunately, they have a- a frenzying effect on some people... It can be scary." Seira sighed deeply. "I'm sorry I couldn't have been around longer to tell you how to - to -" "Control them?" Kit said with a wry smile. "So, what - why - are they?" Seira sighed again. "I wish I could tell you everything... but there isn't much that I can. Since I got - sick, my eyes changed. They were always a cloudy blue, so not a lot of people noticed immediately - including myself. Then I found that I was going to have you, and my eyes began to er, act up more. I'm not sure why, but these" She pointed to her eyes, "got passed down to you. In an extremity, I might add. My eyes never changed with my emotions, so there really isn't all that much I can say about it."  
  
Kit was silent for a moment. Then,  
  
"So basically, anybody who sees my eyes flash will go psycho on me?"  
  
Her mother laughed, a beautiful tinkling noise, refreshing like rain on a summer day.  
  
"No, honey. Those girls, they - well, you would be thought to be fey. I won't pretend I know what that means, exactly, but most people I've known are - wary, to say the least. Add jealousy, not to mention your generally irritating effect on other girls, that equals postal."  
  
Kit stared at her mother.  
  
"That's it? I just have to be me, and seemingly normal people will try to tear me apart?"  
  
Seira let out another sigh.  
  
"I'm sorry Kit. There is more, but I can't tell you just yet."  
  
Finally, Seira had told nearly everything there was to tell.  
  
"...then you passed out again and came here. You've been unconscious for the last four days."  
  
"Wow. I've got some story so far, huh?"  
  
"That's an understatement if I've ever heard one." Seira said with a wry smile. "Now, there's one thing I want you to do."  
  
"What?" Kit asked hesitantly.  
  
"Sit right here for a moment." Her mother stood excitedly, brushing off her long skirt.  
  
"Don't move." She added with a grin, then hurried away. A few minutes later, she came back, tugging a tall figure behind her.  
  
"Kit!" She called, "Close your eyes for a moment, okay, darling?" Bewildered, Kit obeyed. She could hear her mother as she drew closer, her skirt rustling softly over the grass.  
  
"Okay Kit, honey." She stopped a couple feet in front of her. Kit was curious. What on earth - or below it or above it - could get her mother so excited?  
  
"You can open your eyes now." She said, clapping her hands together. Slowly, she did so.  
  
"Kit, I want you to meet your father." If she hadn't already been unconscious, she would've been now. In front of her stood a tall man, darkly handsome in a classic way. For a moment, Kit struggled to figure out why his face seemed so familiar; then she realized she saw it in the mirror every day. His mouth and chin were hers; his color of hair and texture as well. Her nose and ears may have been her mothers, but her cheekbones were definitely his. Most of all, while the shape and uniqueness of her eyes all belonged to her mother, the glint behind them came from him.  
  
Neither spoke as they gazed at the other.  
  
Finally, Seira interrupted the silence.  
  
"Well, aren't you two going to say anything?"  
  
"I - I have a daughter...?" The man breathed. Kit continued to stare dazedly at the man before her. Slowly, as thought she might start, the man - her father - began to circle round her, stopping once he'd mane a full turn. He shook his head in wonder and cleared his throat.  
  
"Y-you look just like me." His voice held a trace of awe.  
  
"You're as pretty as your mother..." his voice trailed off and he resumed their staring contest.  
  
Seira nudged her daughter, sending her out of her shocked state.  
  
"It - it's nice to - to meet you... um." She held her hand out uncertainly. He stared at it and his lips twitched like he was about to laugh. Grabbing her outstretched hand, he shook it once and pulled the girl into a bear hug, swinging her around before setting her down. Kit looked up at him, surprised to see tears standing out in his eyes. Did she do something wrong?  
  
"What's the matter?" She asked bewilderedly. His eyes glistened.  
  
"You're so beautiful, Kit." He choked out, "I'm so glad I was able to meet you... even though it's only for a while." He brushed his hand over her cheek. "I only wish I could have met you under different circumstances." He smiled a bit, then turned to her mother.  
  
"Seira..." For a while, he just stared at his wife, the woman he had loved and been united to for less than six months - the woman who had left him so as not to hurt him, she had loved him so much. His gaze turned again to Kit - his daughter. He hadn't even known of her existence... until now. And for a moment, the three had been able to at least pretend they were a real family...  
  
Clearing his throat, he spoke again, his voice unsteady.  
  
"Seira. Should I - take her back?" Kit's mother nodded sadly. Kit stood there, stunned.  
  
"Why?" She blurted. "Why do I have to go back? Why can't I stay here with you?"  
  
For a moment, her parents looked at each other. Finally, her mother sighed.  
  
"Because, honey, we're dead. That's the only way you can stay, and it seems you've got something to hold onto - else your mind wouldn't be fighting so hard to keep you earthbound. And if my guess is correct, one reason has been watching over you for a while."  
  
She winked.  
  
"I took a peek, and I honestly don't blame you. He's definitely a looker." Catching Kit's bewildered look, she sighed.  
  
"Oh, I forgot. You've been unconscious these past three days. I'll give you a hint, though." Seira said, smiling broadly, "He's tall, light and handsome."  
  
Kit made a halfhearted face.  
  
"Doesn't sound like all that much." Her voice wobbled. "M - mom, I - I don't want to leave you again."  
  
Once again, that sad, knowing smile lit across her mother's face.  
  
"Hey, it's not like you'll never see me again." She nodded to her husband who, taking her hand, gently began tugging his daughter along like an unwilling toddler. And like a toddler, she followed, eyes glued to her mother's smiling face.  
  
Finally, her father turned to her and gave her the same smile that had haunted her mother's face.  
  
"I'm glad I had the - the chance to meet you, Kit." He said, his voice uncertain.  
  
"I'm glad, too." Her voice quivered. She still couldn't say 'Dad' to this man who was is possession of over half her facial features, even though he was her mother's husband and donated his genes to bring her into being. He seemed to understand this and said,  
  
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for your life. But still. I want you to know... I love you, Kit. I'm glad I have such a - a promising, beautiful daughter." His voice was choked, " I love you."  
  
"Me, too." She said softly - and blinked.  
  
~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~  
  
She was staring, not at her long lost father, but at the tall blonde boy she vaguely remembered waking to see before dreaming of her mother. Once he turned, he saw her eyes open and a look of relief passed across his face.  
  
"Kit?" He asked tentatively. Her head swam.  
  
"Kit? Y- you aren't going to pass out again are you?" His voice sounded faint and a feeling of nausea swept over her.  
  
Suddenly, he was by her side, his warm hand closing over hers. Her vision snapped back into place.  
  
"Kit?" His breath whispered over her ear, "Shh, it's okay, Kit. Whatever it is, whatever happened, it'll be okay."  
  
He patted her shoulder awkwardly. She wondered what he was talking about until she felt something wet drop onto the back of her hand. Reaching up, she touched her cheek and realized she was crying.  
  
Why?  
  
She didn't know and she didn't especially care. The boy's arms were too relaxing to keep crying. So her tears dried up and her sobs were replaced by hiccups. Almost unconsciously, she snuggled herself against him and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.  
  
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Okay, this chapter's a bit longer than usual and now my hands are aching from typing so I'll give you the rest another time.  
  
I really, Really, REALLY want to know what you guys think, so start reviewing, kay?  
  
hit the little go button!! Flames are welcomed as well!!!  
  
To those who did review, thank you!!  
  
SlytherinQueen87: Argh, stupid cliffie. I can't believe Cho and Pansy woudl go off like that. Even Pansy isn't that stupid. I hope there is a good explanation for it int he next chapter, maybe something magic related. I mean no matter how nagry she was I don't think Cho would repeatedly beat on someone. And who is she talking to?! And what is the deal with her eyes? Update asap!  
  
Me: yeah, I'm gonna have a legit reason for pansy and cho going postal, don't worry... can't reveal all my secrets yet!! SUSPENSE!!! Whaddya think of my renewed summary? I stink at them, anyway, so.... wth! 


	10. A Special Announcement

( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (  
  
Okay u guys... we all know the procedure... YES! I OWN HARRY POTTER! I'M A RICH, RESPECTED, AND OVERALL FAMOUS AUTHOR NAMED ___________________, WHO'S JUST UNDER THE PEN NAME OF J.K. ROWLING! DRACO MALFOY IS BASED ON MY LOVER, LOOKS AND ALL!!!  
  
Not.  
  
Anyway, onto the next chapter;  
  
( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (  
  
Chapter Ten:: A Special Announcement  
  
When Kit next opened her eyes, she was propped comfortably against three pillows and Madame Pomfrey was fluttering about the infirmary, tucking this or tilting that, scooching this over here a bit and refolding that just so, all the while clucking aimlessly to herself. When she turned to find Kit's eyes wide open, she became the next object of which to fuss over.  
  
"You're certainly a lucky girl, having that handsome young boy drop in to see you every day. And all those people are always complaining about his horrid reputation! Every week, it's a new web of terror about him."  
  
So it wasn't just another dream! Kit could feel her ears flame at the thought of how she'd snuggled - SNUGGLED - up to him. Ugh.  
  
"Poor young man," Madame Pomfrey continued with a sigh, "He's never figured out how to live the way a normal child should." For a moment, the school nurse stared off to space. Her gaze traveled over the clock and she snapped out of her reverie.  
  
"Goodness, child, listen to me! Here I am rambling on when you should be getting ready for dinner! I trust your headache is gone?" She asked as she surveyed Kit with a critical eye. Kit started. She had completely forgotten she had had a massive headache to begin with.  
  
Touching her scalp gently, she nodded.  
  
"Good." Proclaimed a seemingly satisfied Madame Pomfrey. "Now, if you feel any pain at all, don't hesitate to come on back. Now, hurry up and change into your robes, Dumbledore insists that he has an important announcement to make at dinner. Though what could possibly be so important as to pull students out of bed from the infirmary, I'll never know." She muttered agitatedly.  
  
She drew the curtains around Kit's bed for privacy before bustling off to query after a potion from Professor Snape.  
  
Suddenly, as she was shaking out her shirt, the curtains flew apart to reveal a flushed Harry.  
  
"Kit!" He gasped out obliviously, "We heard you were getting out today -" He stopped talking as soon as his mind registered the scantily clad teenage girl, whose feminity could hardly be doubted from such a view.  
  
In an instant, his already red face turned the color of a particularly bad sunburn.  
  
"S-sorry." He choked out, squinching his eyes shut. (oh his virgin eyes! He could hardly stand seeing so much pure white flesh... heheh...poor Harry...)  
  
"Harry Potter! Close those curtains immediately!" Hermione shrieked as she came up behind him. Poor Harry did so, carefully avoiding looking back in Kit's direction. (He may've been in shock... fully clothed, Kit's a looker, so what could you say when she's in her underwear?)  
  
"H- Hermione?" Ron huffed up behind her and stopped, panting. He craned his neck at a painful angle, trying to look behind the drape.  
  
"Why - why's Harry so red? What's behind the curtain?"  
  
It whipped open again, this time revealing a fully clothed, red-eared Kit. She and Harry determinedly avoided eye contact. Ron, oblivious as usual, rushed over to Kit and swung her around, setting her down gently. His face instantly reddened, matching Harry's, not quite sure why he had done that.  
  
"Well, we'd better get going to dinner. Dumbledore's got some big secret announcement he's going to reveal tonight." A chuckling Hermione managed.  
  
"So I've heard." Kit murmured. Hermione smiled.  
  
"Anyhow, Hannah asked us to be your welcoming committee - she says sorry she couldn't be here just now, but Professor Sprout called her aside for something. She'll be there for dinner, anyway." she added with a shrug. "So, let's get going!"  
  
Kit laughed at her impatience and followed willingly in her wake down the stairs.  
  
"Uh, Kit?" Harry's uncomfortable voice came from behind her. She looked over her shoulder at the still tomato red Harry.  
  
"Yeah?" She asked, trying to sound casual. It was a lost cause as her ears flamed again.  
  
"Er - I - sorry. I - I didn't think - uh, sorry." He stammered slightly.  
  
In an attempt to rid the air of the awkwardness, she raised her chin slightly, patted his head and said regally,  
  
"Not to worry, dear boy. All is forgiven," she pantomimed vanishing into thin air, "and forgotten." Her actions had the desired effect as Harry smirked at her performance before dramatically dropping to one knee and kissing the edge of her robes.  
  
"I'm not worthy, your Ladyship!" He groveled. Kit sniggered.  
  
"I know."  
  
The two glanced at each other and choked on the laughter bubbling up inside them. Kit let out a snort and that was the end. By the time they reached the entrance of the Great Hall, they needed to stop to catch their breath. Unfortunately, the made the mistake of looking at each other again.  
  
Not completely sure about what was so hi-larious, the two stumbled into the Hall and went their separate ways, Harry steadfastly ignoring Ron's pestering on what, exactly was so funny. Every now and then, he sent a grin over to her, which she returned until Hannah ran into the Hall.  
  
Rushing over to her, she hugged her friend before bursting out,  
  
"Ohmigosh, Kit, you got out of the infirmary just on time! Unfortunately, you got out early enough to join the Slytherins after this weekend." She pouted. "You just had to sleep through your last three days with us, didn't you?" With a sigh, she let out a "Poor you" before sitting down.  
  
"Yeah," Kit agreed, staring at the Slytherin table distastefully, "Poor me."  
  
Rousing herself, she turned her gaze back to Hannah.  
  
"I doubt it will matter too much. Anyway, this is the perfect time for you to tell me what, exactly, my timing is perfect for." Hannah's eyes gleamed.  
  
"Uh huh. Dumbledore's about to make a speech and - purely by accident - I happen to know what it's about."  
  
"What?" Kit asked suspiciously. Hannah grinned.  
  
"Shh, just wait."  
  
At that moment, Dumbledore stood and waved his hands for everyone's attention.  
  
"Houses of Hogwarts, I wish you all an early happy Christmas. As many of you know, the year before last our school held a Yule Ball in the company of Wizarding schools Durmstrang and Beaux Batons. My personal belief was that, all in all, this event was considerably enjoyable. I had wanted to have another go the next year, but things got a bit hectic what with Voldemort's return."  
  
A few students tittered nervously at this understatement while the rest of the room cringed at the name.  
  
"This year, thank goodness, has been less chaotic than the last - nearly to the point of dull, in fact. So, in order to liven things up a bit in light of the holidays, I propose a second annual Yule Tide Ball."  
  
The room instantly filled with shrieks and yells and the general commotion of students talking over each other until Professor Dumbledore clapped for silence.  
  
"It will be held on the 24th of December and this time," he added, blue eyes twinkling in the direction of the dejected looking 2nd and 3rd years, "It will be open to all students." An excited gasp rose from those who had previously remained silent during Dumbledore's announcement.  
  
"But," he said, raising his voice slightly, "there is a catch."  
  
This announcement was met by a collective groan.  
  
"*Everyone* is to have a partner to go with. And he or she must be from a house besides your own. You have a week to find your partner, and if you have been unable to do so in the appointed time, approach Professor Snape and give him your name and house."  
  
More grumbling met this statement except from those already friendly with those of the opposite sex and opposing Houses.  
  
"One more thing is yet to be said." Professor Dumbledore continued, periwinkle eyes sparkling merrily. "Just to make things a bit more... interesting. I know this sudden announcement may've caught many of you off guard. Those of you who are already in possession of dress robes sadly don't have much of an advantage, seeing as the theme this year is Muggle Balls. To solve this predicament, I have asked Madame Malkin to temporarily move her shop to Hogsmeade. She has most graciously obliged and once everyone has attained a partner, the school will take the day into Hogsmeade to find the appropriate muggle - or as close to muggle as possible - formal wear, traveling along with their partner - who will choose the other's attire." He concluded mischievously. The room was once again mixed with gasps of horror and delight. Professor Dumbledore had certainly planned everything out.  
  
"Now," he continued jovially, "That is all I have to say on this matter. If there are any questions, excuses or valid reasons you have not to attend, feel free to approach one of the teachers or myself. That is all. Now, onto dinner!"  
  
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( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (  
  
CALLING ALL READERS! CALLING ALL READERS!! PLEASE REVIEW - REPEAT - PLEASE REVIEW!  
  
Why?  
  
Because. It gives me inspiration to write.  
  
(that was supposed to be a bit emotional, just so you know.)  
  
BUT - THANK YOU TO darkwolfdragon FOR REVIEWING!  
  
THANKUTHANKUTHANKUTHANKUTHANKUTHANKUTHANKUTHANKUTHANKU!! *imkindahyehihyperrightnowhehehee* ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( 


	11. Aftermath of the Announcement

Okay, I've said it - well, wrote it - once, and I'll write it again:  
  
ONLY IN MY DREAMS!!  
  
does that count as a disclaimer?  
  
Chapter Eleven :: Aftermath of the Announcement  
  
Stunned, the occupants of the Hall mechanically obeyed, whispering fervently to each other and scoping out prospective partners. One particularly interesting snippet of a conversation floated down the Hufflepuff table.  
  
"...easy. Just choose a guy with good dress sense! Top of the list would be Malfoy, then Ridge, Zabini, and maybe Lee Jordan..."  
  
The girl continued to rattle off a list of names, but Kit had stopped listening. Malfoy... She glanced quickly over at the Slytherin table. There he sat, next to a disgruntled looking Pansy and gazing about absently, a permanent smirk plastered across his handsome face. She really had to thank him for... for what? For keeping company to a corpse? Ugh, she'd figure it out later...  
  
Coming back to herself, she realized Hannah was speaking.  
  
"... isn't it wonderful?" She squealed. Kit nodded faintly. "It was *agony* keeping something like this a secret for so long."  
  
"How long did you know?"  
  
"Oh, half an hour or so, I found it in Flitwick's papers about decorations and stuff." She said with a vague wave of her hand.  
  
"Pity about having to go with a person outside your own house, though, I know a couple of guys who might've asked me." She shrugged. "I guess it's another thing about preserving House unity and all that."  
  
Suddenly, she turned back to Kit. "You're lucky, you know. Being here under those 'special circumstances' and all, not to mention practically being the prettiest girl in school, you'll have the run of the mill."  
  
She sighed enviously. "Oh, how I wish I were you..."  
  
On the way to the Hufflepuff common room, Hannah was proven right. No less than five boys asked her to go with them, two Ravenclaws, two Gryffindors and a Hufflepuff. To him she said, after a polite refusal, "Would I even be allowed to go with you?" to which he answered, "Seeing as you don't actually belong to any house, I'd say yeah."  
  
Startled by this revelation, Kit detoured and approached Professor McGonagall in the teacher's lounge with the question and told her what the Hufflepuff had said.  
  
"Oh, absolutely." She answered matter-of-factly. "The Headmaster believed you'd want to know about that."  
  
"Oh." Kit turned to leave, then hesitated. Turning back, she asked,  
  
"I am allowed to turn offers down, aren't I?"  
  
McGonagall stared down her nose at the girl. "Anyone in particular?"  
  
"Oh no," Kit said hastily, "It's just that I've had so many offers already and... well... none of them have really - peaked my interest, yet."  
  
"Ah." Professor McGonagall pursed her lips. "Well, all I can say is this; if you don't choose an offer yourself, you'll have to make do with the match Professor Snape makes for you." She gave a wry smile. "Other than that warning, yes, you can decline any offer that comes to you and you are not obligated to accept one if it comes from an upperclassman or a Prefect."  
  
"Oh." That thought hadn't occurred to her before, being obligated to accept any offer from one of authority. Kit had to resist an urge to shiver.  
  
"Thank you, Professor McGonagall."  
  
She smiled. "You're very welcome, Kit. Now get going before it's time for lights out."  
  
By the time she had fought her way to the library and back to the Hufflepuff common room, Kit had racked up a grand total of 22 invitations to the Yule Tide Ball - None, I see, from any Slytherins, though the guys definitely stare at me enough, she thought uncomfortably. She groaned as she flopped into her bed in the dormitory. In three days, she would be moved to the Slytherin House, where she would valiantly try to ignore and avoid Pansy Parkinson, cow-in-training, for the next week. Moaning softly, she flipped her pillow, drew up her covers over her head and snuggled down with her cheetah rat, trying to forget the looming days of potential agony ahead. (A/N: haha, cheetah rat is mine... inside joke...^_^)  
  
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So, how's this chapter? Thanks a lot, Natachan!! lol, can't wait 4 2morrow, ur dance is gonna be gr8!!  
  
Everybody say hi to Natachan!! she's a dancrgrl like me, we both go to nsdc, oho, that rhymes, i'll try an do it again next time!  
  
NSDC ROCKS!  
  
anyway, u guys c how much I'm praising natachan - not just cuz she dances w/ me - bcuz she reviewed??? u guys review, an I'll praise u in the next chappie!! so, go hit the little go button, don't be so slow to review so I can praise u 4 praising me (or flaming me, I don't care)!! So... write! 


	12. Default

Author's Note:  
  
Hey, it's me! Just writing to say that my next chapter, feel free to skip. All it does is explain where Kit was during her moving day and why she wasn't in classes... it's kinda pointless, and I, the author, will even admit that it's a bit boring... not completely boring, mind you, just a bit.  
  
So if you want to skip it, this is just a warning, the rest of the story will make perfect sense without it.  
  
On to the real thing!  
  
Chapter Twelve:: Quidditch Director/Advisor/Whatever  
  
A tearful goodbye from Hannah and a solemn salute from Ernie was Kit's send off early Monday morning when she found the majority of her possessions missing; except, of course, for her books (she would want to study on her one day off, now wouldn't she?) and a set of clothes (oh how she'd been dying to run naked through the school halls) laid out neatly on the edge of her four-poster bed.  
  
Kit spent her day free from classes; instead, she studied vigorously to catch up with her fellow sixth year students and get ready for her O.W.L' s.  
  
The moment she felt ready to light her books afire and feed their ashes to the giant squid, she left the library and snuck out to the quidditch shack where she confiscated a broom and headed towards the Quidditch pitch.  
  
Back at the library, she had found an amazing book of famous quidditch plays; whether famous for winning the game or famous for their complete outrageousness and complexity - or simplicity.  
  
She was sure Harry would have loved it. Everything about him showed his love for the game; from the way he played it during his matches (he had already won two) to the style he flew with, down to the way he talked it over with his friends and teammates.  
  
That boy had a true love and its name was flight.  
  
For a while, Kit urged the broom (it was Harry's, he'd said she could borrow it once he'd seen her fly) to its maximum speed in an effort to outpace all her thoughts and cares.  
  
For a time, it worked. The wind was glorious as it slapped her cheeks and brought fierce tears to her eyes, taking her breath away and leaving her gasping.  
  
Unfortunately, the best broom in the world could only hold its top speed for so long before suffering a strain and slowing.  
  
After that, she began to act out the quidditch plays she'd gotten form 'High Flying: A Guide to the Most Famous Plays the Wizarding World has Ever Seen - by Ai R. Head.'  
  
Little did she know she had an audience.  
  
When she dismounted hours later, Madame Hooch, the flying instructor was waiting. She scrutinized the panting girl for a moment before asking,  
  
"How long have you been flying, girl?"  
  
"Uh - a couple of days?" Kit cringed. The answer sounded lame, even to her own ears.  
  
"I guess I pretty much suck, huh?"  
  
Madame Hooch shook her head, a small smile playing at the edges of her stern face.  
  
"On the contrary. I know each and every play from that book. But many of them have major flaws. When you performed them, however, I could hardly find a trace of the previous errs. I've never seen anything like it in all my years of judging and coaching quidditch - especially in play 32? Brilliance. I didn't even recognize that one at first - on of the hardest - but you just hovered, took a glance, then flew off again."  
  
She shook her head, a hint of awe tingeing her voice. Kit waited silently. Presently, Madame Hooch spoke again.  
  
"Girl, I want you to do me a favor. Will you become the Hogwarts Quidditch Director?"  
  
Kit stared at her blankly as she continued.  
  
"Or Advisor, whatever you want the title to be, it doesn't matter. You wouldn't be doing all that much, just sit in on the team practices every couple of week and give occasional advice on their plays and technique and whatnot. When they ask, you tell them. When you've got a fancy, let them play it out, simple as that."  
  
"W-well, I -" Kit fumbled for an answer. Her? She'd never even heard of the game until the beginning of the week. She had only been playing just now, fooling around to pass the time... her, Quidditch Director? Advisor? Whatever?  
  
Sensing her hesitancy, the flying instructor chuckled.  
  
"Don't give me your answer just yet. Sleep on it, read over some more plays and fiddle with them. Give me an answer when you feel like it - just preferably before the end of the season."  
  
Chuckling, the flight instructor walked away, leaving Kit standing in the middle of the pitch, broom in hand. 


	13. The House That Slytherin Built

Disclaimer: See previous page  
  
Chapter Thirteen:: The House that Slytherin Built  
  
Kit waited outside Potions, the last class of the day, to ask the Professor where to go. When it finally let out, she rushed through the doorway to avoid the crush of Slytherin and Gryffindors leaving the room. As soon as Professor Snape saw her coming, he called out an unintelligible name.  
  
She approached Snape's desk and waited. She didn't have long to wait. Moments later, a bored drawl floated across the room.  
  
"You called, Professor?"  
  
The voice belonged to a tall blonde Slytherin lounging against the doorpost, his cloudy gray eyes gazing around the room though he'd seen it many times before.  
  
It was, of course, the devilishly handsome Draco Malfoy.  
  
"Yes, I called. Draco, please escort this young lady to the Slytherin common room and to her dorm, providing her with the password and - hopefully - averting any more... unpleasant incidents."  
  
Not once did he look up from the work.  
  
"Dismissed."  
  
Draco nodes and turned to go.  
  
"Well?" he said impatiently. Immediately, Kit began to follow.  
  
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For the next five minutes, the two walked in absolute silence; Draco, oblivious to the hash of giggles coming his way as he passed and Kit valiantly trying to keep pace with Draco, blushing furiously as she turned down the occasional Yule Ball invite.  
  
Today, at least, was better than before; she only got half as many invites. Draco himself had the occasional timid query but turned them down brusquely or flat out ignored them.  
  
Finally, Kit could bear the silence no longer.  
  
"Dr- er, Malfoy," she blurted, "I- I just wanted to - to, well, thank you for - for, umm... y'know." Heaven help me, she thought desperately, This is not how I planned it.  
  
Draco stopped abruptly, turned to face her and in two short stride, closed the gap between them. Kit took an unwitting step backward - into a pillar. (A/N: cliché move, I know, but hey! it works)  
  
Smirking, Draco leaned closer to her, placing his arms on either side of the girl, caging her.  
  
Kit was uncomfortable aware of just how close he was. (A/N: Just so you know, her more naughty thoughts aren't shown... I'll leave that to you, the reader.)  
  
- What the heck, my thoughts are going totally wild! I only met the guy, it's not like he's... he's... -  
  
(Hey, you know, this guy IS cute, but stop thinking like this!)  
  
- I'm trying... not to, that is... but - wait a minute, who are you? -  
  
(I'm you.)  
  
- Umm... I'll have to think about this later....-  
  
(Good idea; right now you should be thinking about the platinum beauty in front of you...INCHES from you, that is...)  
  
Moving his mouth next to her left ear, his breath whispered across it as he breathed.  
  
"Enlighten me."  
  
It took a moment for Kit to remember what he was talking about, then another to find her voice.  
  
- omg, he's too close, I can't think! -  
  
"I - I didn't mean to break down on you," she said breathlessly, "and I'm sorry for falling asleep on you, I know that must've been uncomfortable, and it was really nice of you to not wake me up and prop me with the pillows and all, and Madame Pomfrey said you came in every day to talk to me even though I wasn't awake," Kit stopped to catch her breath. "So thank you."  
  
Students passing had begun to throw curious glances at the two standing in the middle of the hall in such an... odd position; Kit with her back up against a pillar, head tilted upward to look a looming Draco in the eye, her books clutched protectively to her chest. Draco, with his arms on either side of the new girl, staring down at her, his face oddly serious without his trademark sneer.  
  
Now Draco pulled back a bit and gazed intently at the girl pinioned between his arms.  
  
"D'you remember any of what I said in the hospital wing?" He asked softly. Something like agitation hovered behind his eyes.  
  
"Not really." Kit admitted.  
  
He let out a sigh.  
  
"Good."  
  
Before Kit could ponder over his sudden change of attitude, he was striding down the hall again, sending Kit scrambling after him.  
  
"So it's back to Malfoy, is it?" He asked abruptly.  
  
Kit eyed him warily.  
  
"Only if you're comfortable with it. I didn't really think that names were all that important until Harry pointed it out."  
  
Draco's smirk was back.  
  
"But you're calling Potter by his first name."  
  
"That's how he introduced himself to me."  
  
"That's how I introduced myself to you."  
  
When silence met this reply, he continued.  
  
"I thought you liked my first name better, anyway."  
  
Kit's eyes went amber.  
  
"I do." She muttered.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because -" Her ears were on fire as she paused. "Because I - I always thought..."  
  
Draco had to strain to catch her last words.  
  
"... dragons are beautiful."  
  
He snorted.  
  
"D'you think my first name fits, then?" He hadn't meant for her to answer, but she did.  
  
"I do." She said softly, her eyes resting on the ground. Draco snorted again, softer this time. A quick glance up gave evidence of a smile playing on his peach lips.  
  
"Then use it." He said, almost inaudibly. But Kit heard it, and he caught her smile before turning to the wall.  
  
On it was a floor to ceiling portrait of a waterfall - so realistic, Kit could almost feel the spray as the water tumbled to the moss-slicked rocks.  
  
Suddenly, from behind the falls, a female head poked out. It was beautiful, with auburn curls tumbling to frame two big blue eyes.  
  
"Ah, Master Malfoy," She purred in a sweet, lilting tone - which instantly became less sweet when she noticed his companion.  
  
"Oh yes," She continued with a false enthusiasm, "You're the girl with no family, no past, and no knowledge of your bloodlines."  
  
She gave Kit a disgusted once over.  
  
"Beauty should hardly be wasted on a case like yours."  
  
Kit started at this remark then glared, her eyes flashing. The sprite noticed and her eyes widened a little.  
  
"Oh..." she said slowly, "aren't you the special case."  
  
Draco cut her off impatiently.  
  
"Not now, Asudem. You can interrogate Kit some other time." Immediately, Asudem adopted a humble stature and said meekly,  
  
"My apologies, Master Malfoy. Password?"  
  
"Draco dormiens." He said with a wink at Kit.  
  
Asudem caught this and glared furiously at Kit before disappearing again behind the falls. As they parted, Kit had the urge to gasp at the - well, magic of it all.  
  
~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~  
  
Okay, that's all for now... I will personally congratulate, in bold, anyone who can figure out the name Asudem!  
  
Hint: Look at it closely and try rearranging it... Asudem... 


	14. Things May Be Heating Up

Disclaimer: *sigh...* ooohhh, how I wish... *sniff* life isn't fair! How come j.k. Rowling owns such great characters (except 4 kit) and has such a superb mind! AHHHH!! IT ISN'T FAIR!!!!  
  
*sniff*  
  
Tirade over.  
  
Onto the *sniff* story *sniff* *sniff, sob* *waterworks*  
  
Last Chapter::  
  
"Draco dormien." Draco said with a wink at Kit.  
  
Asudem, unfortunately, caught this and glared furiously at Kit before disappearing again behind the falls. As they parted, Kit had the urge to gasp at the - well, magic of it all...  
  
Chapter Fourteen:: Things May Be Heating Up  
  
"I didn't know portraits could have crushes." Kit whispered as they passed through the portrait.  
  
As if in response, a slender hand darted out and, grabbing the end of her braid, yanked cruelly on her hair.  
  
Gasping Kit whirled, but the portrait had already closed. Her hair, loosened from its confines, fought to get free, curls haphazardly pushing their way to tumble around her face.  
  
"Why that - that - sprite!" Kit called out furiously. "How dare she!"  
  
As she turned back, Draco's laughter died in his throat. All he could do was stare.  
  
"Draco, d'you think you could - what?"  
  
"Kit." He choked out.  
  
"What?" She asked nonplussed.  
  
"Y-you're...gorgeous."  
  
Kit could feel her eyes darken as Draco continued to stare. She cleared her throat and tried to laugh.  
  
"C'mon, it doesn't make that big of a difference." His stare was making her uncomfortable.  
  
"Actually, it does." He countered softly. He stepped closer and slowly reached out a hand to touch her cheek.  
  
Kit failed to breathe.  
  
His hand moved to her midnight tresses and slowly, he stepped closer, bringing a lock of her hair to his lips.  
  
There were only three steps between them.  
  
Another step and his fingers were tracing her jawbone and traveling down her neck.  
  
Two steps between them.  
  
He moved up to her, right up to her, in one stride, tilting he chin up toward him.  
  
No steps left...  
  
Kit's eyes were changing freely, silver to green to blue to violet to brown to red and settling on gold momentarily before flicking off again.  
  
Besides that, Kit stood motionless, lightheaded and drawing a blank on what to do, trying to think and trying not to as his head leaned closer to her.  
  
Her eyelids lowered and for a moment, she could feel herself relax as Draco's arms encircled her waist. Kit hardly noticed her own hands traveling up his arms to hold his shoulders. He leaned closer, her eyes shut and  
  
they jumped apart as though electrocuted as a crashing noise came from the staircase.  
  
A boy with sunstreaked ash brown hair tumbled down the stairs of the boy's dormitory.  
  
"Hey Draco!" he called, "Didja hear? The new girl -"  
  
"- is here."  
  
"And hot." He said with a whistle. "I hope I didn't interrupt you two." He smirked, glancing at Draco's arm still wrapped around Kit's waist.  
  
Instantly, the two took another step away from each other.  
  
In all honesty, Kit was relieved.  
  
- What just happened?!-  
  
(I think you mean, what just almost happened.)  
  
- Yeah, I know what I mean -  
  
(Then say what you mean and mean what you say. That's my motto)  
  
- Then wouldn't it be OUR motto? -  
  
(You're purposely evading the subject, which, I might add, YOU brought up.)  
  
- Oh yeah -  
  
(Anyway, YOU know what almost just happened)  
  
- Welllllll... -  
  
(He almost kissed you and you almost let him)  
  
- Well, yeah, but why should you, I mean me, I care? -  
  
(I don't know. You probably shouldn't. You know you like him.)  
  
- WHAT?? I only JUST met him!! -  
  
(So? He likes you, too.)  
  
- Really? -  
  
(Ugh, please tell me I'm not this dense)  
  
- Not usually -  
  
(Anyway, you're avoiding the subject AGAIN, which, AGAIN, YOU brought up)  
  
- Am I? Oh, shut up, he's looking over here -  
  
"My name is Blaise Zabini." The boy said as he stepped forward, a mischievous grin spreading across his handsome face.  
  
Kit grasped his outstretched hand. Like Draco, he leant over it and laid a kiss on the back.  
  
After shooting a look at Draco, who shrugged and continued to stare daggers toward Blaise, Kit replied,  
  
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Blaise. I'm -"  
  
"Kit, the girl without a name." He filled in. Kit laughed, feeling a bit stupid. Of course he'd know her name; everyone seemed to.  
  
"How can that be true if you just said my name is Kit?" Ugh. Dumbdumbdumbdumbdumb. Ugh.  
  
"Without a proper name, then." Blaise amended with a grin. "So, what're you doing right now?" He asked smoothly.  
  
"We -"  
  
"I was just about to show Kit to her room." Draco cut in. Blaise threw him an odd look.  
  
"Hey, you know we're not allowed into the girl's dorm. Not that that keeps them from entering ours." He smirked.  
  
For some odd reason, Blaise was beginning to grow on Kit.  
  
"Nah, she's got her own - separate from the other girls."  
  
A wicked smile spread across Blaise's face.  
  
"Does that mean we can go in?"  
  
Draco snorted. "Only if she lets us in - specific spell recognition and all that."  
  
Blaise's face fell.  
  
Kit had to laugh. "You don't have to look so disappointed, Blaise."  
  
"What, are you saying you'll let me in?" He asked coyly.  
  
"Mm, maybe if you're nice." Kit teased. Blaise faked a purr and stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms over her shoulders.  
  
"I'll show you just how nice I can be, babe." He murmured as he nuzzled her hair. Kit giggled.  
  
"Oh yes, Lover Boy, I'm just dying to fall into my luscious, satin sheeted bed with you surrounding me with your arms." She said dramatically, turning toward him and pushing away.  
  
He laughed, half in surprise. "You know, I thought you'd be a real boil t' know, but all those people slamming you really don't know what they're talking about. You seem about as cool as they come - and as cute."  
  
"No one could accuse you of not being smooth."  
  
"Okay, this exchange is really cute and all," Draco broke in, "but we'd better hurry up. We don't want all that many people knowing exactly where you are." He added with a scathing look at Blaise - not that he noticed.  
  
Blaise turned to Draco and swept a dramatic bow.  
  
"Lead the way, O Almighty Master Draco."  
  
Kit mimicked Blaise and dropped her lowest curtsy, grinning infectiously all the while.  
  
Finally, Draco gave a reluctant grin. "You two are going to be impossible."  
  
So said, he grabbed her hand and tugged her toward a desolate looking suit of 17th century armor, rusty, old and creaky.  
  
"Hey Suit, this is Kit." Draco talked directly to the armor, looking into its hollow helmet.  
  
The old suit turned its head and gave the girl a once over before nodding its rusty head and turning back to its slightly sagging position.  
  
For a moment, nothing happened.  
  
Just as Kit was about to ask what was *supposed* to happen, the statue slid noiselessly to the right, revealing... an open window. Shivering at the chilly breeze blowing in, Kit stared in confusion. How could there be a window down here?  
  
She opened her mouth, but before she could say a word, Draco snatched her hand and stepped into space.  
  
~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~  
  
Heeheeheeheehee... I know, I'm evil... but keep reading, and if you review, I might give an end to this cliffie. ^_^  
  
But in other issues, come on you guys... nobody's figured out 'Asudem' yet! I'll give you a hint... try capitalizing a few letters. ^_^ Keep thinking!  
  
Thanks to My Reviewer(s)... ______________________________________  
  
Sheezy-mah-neezy:: Yeah, I couldn't think of anything at first, so I just put that down... heheh... whaddya think of my new one?? Any better? 


	15. Friends?

Disclaimer: I'm tired... everything that you recognize - or think you do - is not mine, except for those that I have introduced aside from the HP novels... did that make sense? I don't think I care...  
  
Anyway, onto the story!!  
  
Last Chapter::  
  
Kit was about to ask what was *supposed* to happen, the statue slid noiselessly to the right, revealing... an open window. Shivering at the chilly breeze blowing in, Kit stared in confusion. How could there be a window down here?  
  
She opened her mouth, but before she could say a word, Draco snatched her hand and stepped into space.  
  
Chapter Fifteen:: Friends?  
  
A scream fought to tear its way from Kit's throat as she cinched her eyes shut, waiting for the sensation of the ground coming up to meet her feet with a sickening crunch, smashing her bones into oblivion...  
  
She waited.  
  
And waited.  
  
Slowly, Kit cautiously opened an eye to the realization that they were still on solid ground - not plummeting through air. Opening the other, she glared at a ruthelessly grinning Draco.  
  
"Don't you dare do that to me again, Draco Malfoy." She hissed. "I swear, if you -"  
  
"Don't worry," He said with a smirk, "There aren't any other window portals to step through - at least on this level."  
  
Kit continued to glare at him for a moment before glancing toward where they had come.  
  
"Hey - where's Blaise?"  
  
No sooner had the thought left her lips than Blaise stumbled through. Draco heaved a sigh and rolled his eyes heavenward.  
  
"Now, now, Draco," Blaise admonished, wagging a finger in his face, "You've got to learn to share your toys - especially the pretty ones."  
  
Draco snapped his teeth where Blaise's finger had been a moment before.  
  
Kit hardly noticed the squabble; in the short time she'd been at Hogwarts, she'd figured out what to expect from who.  
  
In the five minutes, she'd known Blaise and seen him and Draco together, she knew to expect them to squabble.  
  
At the moment, Kit was thoroughly engrossed and in awe of the wonder of her quarters. For, unlike the school common rooms, what they were currently standing in was an individual common room, very much unlike the one outside her 'window'.  
  
It was big enough, not as big as the one outside - but then, she was only one person. Her common room, decked out in red, black and silver, had a fireplace spanning one entire wall, a cheery blaze already crackling inside.  
  
The furniture consisted of one overstuffed couch - the kind made for flopping on - two recliners opposite each other, backed of various materials, and a poufy wing backed chair with arms begging to be draped over.  
  
In all four corners of the small room were cushions of all shapes and sizes, piled up into nest-like formations - they were simply calling out for someone (namely Kit) to snuggle into them.  
  
On the walls framing the fireplace were rows upon rows of books; she had her own library!  
  
And in the middle of the room sad a round ebony table, surrounded by more cushions and neatly laid out on top were all of Kit's books, parchment and quills.  
  
"Wow..." Kit murmured, "Whoever styled this knows me like a book..."  
  
At the sound of her voice, Blaise and Draco quit slamming each other and glanced up, only to realize that Kit was no longer with them.  
  
"Hey Kit," Draco called softly, "Where'd you disappear to you?"  
  
"I'm through the door to your... left." Her voice rang back to him.  
  
Looking about, Draco realized there were two doors on either side of the room. Per Kit's instructions, he turned to his left and, walking past the first lineup of books, swept through the swinging door, Blaise tagging along after.  
  
What next befell their eyes was a small room lined with cupboards and countertops.  
  
"What's this?" Blaise wondered aloud. Kit turned to them, eyes sparkling.  
  
"This," she announced excitedly, "is my kitchen!"  
  
For a moment, the two boys stood dumbfounded as they watched Kit race to and fro, opening cupboards and finding some new delight to gasp over.  
  
Finally, Blaise found his voice.  
  
"Man, you've got all the good stuff, Kit! First the giant hearth and a library - obviously a place for comfort - and now this! I think I'm moving in with you!" He joked.  
  
Kit laughed. "Whoa there, Silver. Only on the weekends."  
  
Blaise started. "Seriously? Jeez, that's - that's awesome, Kit. Seriously?"  
  
He kept on in this respect until Kit told him he sounded like a broken record, throwing him into confusion. Finally, Kit gave up trying to explain and turned to Draco.  
  
"That is, of course, if the strong and silent Draco accompanies you."  
  
He smirked. "Fair lady, I didn't realize that the invitation extended to me as well."  
  
"But of course!" Kit exclaimed in a mock fluttery manner, "I don't dare to trust this rogue on his own!"  
  
"Wise decision, m' lady, as this rogue is hardly ever to be trusted." Blaise put in with a snigger. It proved to be contagious, and soon all three were doubled over with laughter.  
  
"I'm not even sure what's so funny," Kit gasped as she wiped a tear from her eye, "except for the sheer randomness of it all. All right, you two, we've still got one more door to explore." She said once they had all caught their breath.  
  
The three got up from the floor and headed out the door, marched across the room and swung open the door across from them.  
  
Instantly, they were enveloped in a cloud of blue and silver that colored the entire bathroom.  
  
Kit was beginning to get the theme of her dorm. While the common room had been red silver and black, the kitchen had been decked out in yellow and red.  
  
Her dorm was the four houses of Hogwarts.  
  
blue black silver red yellow gold green  
  
Once again, she slipped away from the two boys experimenting with her bathtub and giant Jacuzzi, twisting the handles and various knobs to see what combinations they could get and overall acting like two sweet five year olds.  
  
"Hey you guys!" Her voice rang out, startling the two.  
  
Turning around, they realized she had disappeared yet again. A smirk played around the edges of Draco's mouth.  
  
"Okay Kit. Where are you this time?"  
  
Her laughter echoed through the room as she spoke. "Go to my main room. Stand in the center and look up."  
  
Obligingly, Draco and Blaise trotted through the door. Clambering up onto the table, he looked up. A domed ceiling loomed above him, a spiral pattern leading to a clear, crystalline window. On it sat Kit, grinning impishly down at him from above.  
  
Like Artemis or Aphrodite from on high, he thought absently.  
  
Glancing around the small common room, Draco could see no obvious way of reaching her.  
  
"Just ask it to let you up." Her voice came down to him.  
  
"Let me up."  
  
Being a Malfoy, Draco was unaccustomed at asking for anything; so, of course, his 'request' strongly resembled a demand.  
  
Nonetheless, after a moment, a widening hole appeared in the glass and a crystal-like structure began to spiral its way down to him. It took him a moment to realize it was a staircase.  
  
Finally, the winding glass creation halted its course downward, about a foot above the ebony table.  
  
Draco reached for the rail, only to draw back instantly. The rail was so cold - bitingly so. Glancing down at his throbbing hand, he was shocked at its red, raw appearance. It looked as though it had been scorched. He glared as the staircase.  
  
"I don't think your stairs like me much." He intoned dryly.  
  
Kit couldn't help but giggle at his tone as she mounted the smooth rail and spiraled down.  
  
Draco turned his icy glare on her as she landed.  
  
"I'm glad you find this funny," he said testily, "I personally don't get the joke." He paused and glared down at his sore hand. "It hurts." He said plaintatively.  
  
"S-sorry." She said, choking back a laugh. "But I told you to ask."  
  
Draco let out a long-suffering sigh, but otherwise remained silent as Kit busied herself with wrapping his hand.  
  
Five minutes later, the neglected Blaise poked his head through the window.  
  
"Aren't you two done yet?" He complained. Glancing up, Kit brushed off her hands.  
  
"Yeah, just now. Come on, Draco." She said as she turned back to her charge. "Just don't touch the rail."  
  
"Who's to say it won't burn my shoes off instead?" He grumbled. But Kit was already walking up her staircase, slender fingers trailing along the rail.  
  
Sighing, he began to follow... and stopped as the first step creaked ominously under his weight. Hearing this, Kit whirled and began to chide the staircase fiercely, as though reprimanding a small child.  
  
Heaving a sigh, she gave Draco a small smile.  
  
"I doubt it will do anything more to you now."  
  
Still, Draco was wary as they climbed the last few steps to Kit's room. Abruptly, the circle snapped shut where Draco's foot had been the moment before.  
  
Draco chose to ignore this as he began to study Kit's room.  
  
It was original, he could say that. Shaded in forest green, royal blue, hints of gold, red, silver and black, it seemed as though they had stepped into a summary of Hogwarts.  
  
Her bed sheets were in green and black, the bed frame itself redwood. Her headboard was littered with throw pillows of various colors and in the midst of it all, Blaise was bouncing up and down like a child.  
  
Kit laughed.  
  
"Honestly Blaise, how could you of all people end up placed in Slytherin?"  
  
"Being in Slytherin doesn't necessarily mean you're evil," came Draco's voice, startlingly close, "It just means you know exactly what you want - and how to get it."  
  
"M-makes sense." Kit managed, voice squeaking softly.  
  
Blaise watched this exchange in amusement, a smirk lingering on his face at Kit's reaction to Draco's sudden proximity.  
  
Glancing over her shoulder, Draco returned Blaise's mischievous look as he brushed by her, relishing her miniscule tremor as he let his hand trail over her hip as he passed.  
  
"So," he said with a smirk as he sank onto the wide bed, "What do we do now?"  
  
"Now," she answered with a glance down at her charmed watch, "we go to dinner."  
  
Cursing softly, he glanced at his own wrist as he and Blaise stumbled down the still unwinding staircase.  
  
If they hurried, they would only have missed the first half hour.  
  
~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~  
  
Over the next few days, Draco alternated between his arrogant, sneering, overconfident self - his public image - and his arrogant, self-confident, almost-playful self - his Kit-influenced image.  
  
Blaise, of course, was usually already with Kit, in the common room skimming titles or in the Kitchen, whisking eggs.  
  
The more Kit got to know him, the more of a playboy she realized he was.  
  
Draco, of course, was himself a rich Slytherin sex god, but in a more subtle, leather-pants-instead-of-Ferrari kind of way.  
  
Blaise played up the first word in 'Playboy'. He was always touching and teasing and then he'd drop a flattering comment into the mix. Immediately after, he'd totally disarm you with his trademark smile. In an instant, he'd drop his hint and you'd be in his clutches. Slytherin girls knew and loved him and he seemed to have a thing for Hufflepuffs.  
  
Draco was more direct.  
  
He'd be there in all his calm and cool glory, totally aloof and uninterested - until he zeroed in on the girl he wanted to be interested in. To the elected, a faint smile and a well-chosen word in her ear - that girl was his.  
  
Draco being Draco, he mainly stuck to Slytherin girls - that is, until recently. Lately, he'd been playing all the houses. He'd already conquered half of Gryffindor and finished Hufflepuff; although Ravenclaws were rumored to be wise, they sure didn't act it when Draco went prowling.  
  
That night, when most of the common room had emptied out, Draco entered Kit's dorm to find her half buried in envelopes.  
  
"Whoa. What is all this?" At the sound of his voice, Kit started and turned around - rather guiltily, he noticed.  
  
"Mmf. It's Kit's fan mail" came a muffled voice. The kitchen door swung open and out marched Blaise, licking his fingers.  
  
Draco raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Fanmail?"  
  
Smiling deviously, Blaise pulled out his wand, said "Accio note" and a thin white piece of parchment flew to him.  
  
"Blaise!" Kit cried as she snatched for it.  
  
He ignored her.  
  
"Read what she was saying to one of her many, many admirers. "  
  
"No!" She cried.  
  
"I'm not interested in reading Kit's love letters, thank you." Draco said coldly, not looking at Kit.  
  
Blaise snickered. "Try one of her rejection letters to the poor dude. I was in charms with her when they were writing each other. They actually got extra points from Flitwick for their double charm of illusionment and levitation on it."  
  
Blaise made a face.  
  
"'Snot fair thought. Anyone else gets caught trying it, they get detention."  
  
A brief smirk flitted across Draco's face before he glanced down at the page, ignoring a fuming Kit. He didn't seem to notice that her fury was only half-hearted.  
  
The note went like this:  
  
(Hey, girl, you're Kit the Cutie.)  
  
- Me  
  
- Excuse me? -  
  
- Kit  
  
(You're the chocolate bar.)  
  
- Me  
  
- Look, would you leave me alone? -  
  
- Kit  
  
(Will you got to the Yule Ball with me?)  
  
- Me  
  
- WHAT -  
  
- Kit  
  
(Go. With. Me. ?)  
  
- Me  
  
- Who are you? -  
  
- Kit  
  
(Does it matter?)  
  
- Me  
  
- Yes -  
  
- Kit  
  
(Doesn't matter.)  
  
- Me  
  
- Goodbye -  
  
- Kit  
  
(Who are you waiting for?)  
  
- Me  
  
- WHAT -  
  
- Kit  
  
(You've turned down every guy that's asked you so far. Who are you waiting for?)  
  
- Me  
  
- No one. None of Your business. -  
  
- Kit  
  
(Will you go with me?)  
  
- Me  
  
- No -  
  
- Kit  
  
(My friend wants to know if you'll go with him.)  
  
- Tell him no -  
  
(He has a friend who wants to know)  
  
- Tell him to tell him no -  
  
(his friend has a brother)  
  
- tell him to tell him to tell him NO -  
  
(you can't tell the whole school's male population no)  
  
- not at the same time, no -  
  
- oh, you know what, they should just owl me and I'll owl them back, it would save them time and face - wouldn't it -  
  
(where would the owls go)  
  
- to the shadow -  
  
(you're cute you know)  
  
- *kiss on the parchment* I know -  
  
(I think I'm in love)  
  
_____________________________________________  
  
That ends the parchment.  
  
Presumably, the two got caught in the exchange.  
  
Slowly, Draco lifted his eyes to a chagrined Kit.  
  
"I didn't realize he was serious!" She mumbled. Risking a glance up, she saw his shoulders trembling violently.  
  
"D-Draco? Are you okay?" She had halfway risen from her seat before realizing he was laughing.  
  
"What, may I ask, is so funny?" She cried indignantly.  
  
Draco kept on laughing and gasped, "Y-you - you don't even - kn-know his n- n-name! Th-that's rich!"  
  
Kit's lips tightened.  
  
"I'm glad it's so funny," she said tersely, "cuz I'm not about to leave until every one of these is answered and delivered."  
  
A smile creased Blaise's face.  
  
"Yea, a sleepover!" He cried softly.  
  
It was, after all, a Friday.  
  
~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~  
  
"Draco," Kit began as they sat by her hearth.  
  
It was two o'clock in the a.m. Blaise was out cold, curled up in one of the nests in her common room; the three had spent five hours answering - well, rejecting - Kit's invitations to the ball. Draco's were cold, Kit's were brief, and Blaise's were... odd.  
  
Now, the two sat by the fire, rubbing cramped and aching hands like two old folks.  
  
"Draco, are we friends?"  
  
He started at the question.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I know it's an odd question, but I've been thinking -"  
  
"- a very dangerous activity -" He interrupted with a smirk.  
  
Kit silenced him with a glare and continued.  
  
"I've been thinking about it, and you - you're really different from other guys. Most people, if they consider themselves a friend, act the same toward me as they do to their other friends. But," she sighed, "therein lies the problem; you don't seem to have any friends."  
  
Draco opened his mouth indignantly, about to protest, but Kit cut him off with a sigh.  
  
"Oh, shut up and let me finish. You have minions. You servants. You have subjects. You have people who act as - as - courtiers, seemingly in existence for the sheer reason of doting on you for favors! But you do not have friends." She paused thoughtfully. "Blaise is the closest I've seen you ever be civil to in a - dare I say it? - almost playful way. So, either you're just being nice to me cuz you feel like it for some insane reason, or you feel you can get something from me - or for some equally insane and unbeknownst reason, you actually trust me."  
  
Draco was silent for a moment.  
  
"So what's the question?"  
  
"We've only known each other for, like, two and a half days -"  
  
"- five and a half, if you count the infirmary -"  
  
"- and I want to know whether or not you consider me a - a friend."  
  
Again, it was a while before Draco answered.  
  
"You know Kit, it isn't always time that determines whether or not you trust someone. Or like them."  
  
She stole a sideways glance at him, but his eyes held a faraway look as he gazed into the fire.  
  
Kit let a small smile creep onto her face. She'd take that as a yes; in their short acquaintance, they had become friends.  
  
~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~  
  
Did you like that? A bit sappy, I know, but overall: how was it? REvIeW and tell me what you think! 


	16. A Meeting with a God

Disclaimer: Aww, I can't think of anything besides, unfortunately, I am not the rich and famous JK Rowling, story teller and writer extraordinaire, only an (extremely) pretty 15 year old girl under the pen name of silverfey.  
  
Chapter Sixteen:: A God Named ___________  
  
"Hey! Wait up!"  
  
It was Sunday afternoon and Kit had been on her way to Professor Snape's office in the dungeons, until the handsome young man had started trotting toward her.  
  
Okay, scratch 'handsome', he was HOT. His dark brown hair was a little on the long side, curling into huge droopy ringlets, like a statue by Michelangelo. Kit could tell – even under his robes – that he was built like one, too.  
  
His eyes were the perfect color – she couldn't put a name to them; they were the blue gray that every baby has and few ever keep. Just now, they were sucking her in.  
  
Realizing she was staring at the young god in front of her, she quickly shifted her gaze to something less interesting, somewhere beyond his left shoulder.  
  
"Y-yes?" She asked, hoping her voice wasn't quaking too terribly. Narcissus shrugged.  
  
"I just wanted to talk. I mean, you're the legendary new girl! Ever elusive..."  
  
For a moment, Apollo seemed to be admiring *her*.  
  
Ugh, it should be illegal for guys to be so gorgeous – or at least they should be issued a warning sign, like 'Danger: Babeliscious God Approaching. Overload Could Prove Fatal To Feminine Hearts.'  
  
"So... where're you headed, Angel?" The Seraphim asked.  
  
No. Way.  
  
- Did he just call *me* angel? –  
  
Kit thought lightheadedly.  
  
- I must be delirious –  
  
and she probably was, her head was spinning so much.  
  
"Oh, um, I'm going to see Professor Snape." She answered sheepishly, once she remembered the question.  
  
Suddenly, her drooling mode switched off as his next question registered in her mind:  
  
"Tell me something, angel, did it hurt when you fell from heaven?"  
  
Ouch. That line caused Kit to do a 180 in her Oberon worshipping mode and realize that this god was not a god – just a student in a god's body.  
  
Kit couldn't help but snort, though it was a bit painful to see Gabriel's face take on such a bewildered expression.  
  
"What?" He asked as she turned and continued on her way.  
  
Kit shook her head as she giggled.  
  
"I'm sorry. It's jut – that line – it's so overused, so – cliché!" She managed to gasp out through her barely contained laughter. "I – I'm not laughing at you." She added hastily, taking in his hurt expression.  
  
"I only heard it this summer!" He protested weakly.  
  
"You're new to muggle residences, hmm?"  
  
The young Osiris looked chagrined. "I was told it'd be a good experience." He shook his head ruefully.  
  
Kit smiled benignly and patted his cheek.  
  
"Don't worry. Next time you try it, though, make sure the girl has known witchdom all her life."  
  
The elven figure beside her gave a surprised laugh. He looked at her with a new admiration.  
  
"You know, I thought you'd be just some kind of exceptionally pretty airhead."  
  
"Wow, you ARE blunt, aren't you?" Kit laughed.  
  
"So, why are you going to visit Snape?"  
  
Kit stopped laughing and looked down, her ears reddening.  
  
"Er- it-it's kinda... well, I need him to match me."  
  
The ethereal being loping alongside her choked. Literally.  
  
He stopped walking and grabbed her arm.  
  
"You're joking, right?" He continued to gape as she shook her head sheepishly.  
  
"*You?*" After a moments pause, he demanded, "Why?"  
  
Kit shrugged uncomfortably at his sudden display of shock.  
  
"I just haven't... liked any of my offers, that's all."  
  
A slow smile lit across his cherubic face.  
  
"Say no more." He announced. "Go get your cloak, Kitling, we've got some shopping to do before the Ball."  
  
Kit's brow furrowed in confusion.  
  
"What? Are *you* inviting me to the Yule Ball?"  
  
He shook his head at her exasperated tone.  
  
"Nuh uh, Kitling," she winced at the nickname, "I'm telling you. Now let's get going."  
  
Kit stiffened and wriggled her arm out of his grasp.  
  
"Sorry," She said coolly, refusing to look up into his baby eyes. She stared instead, at a figure across the way who seemed to be watching them closely.  
  
"Sorry what?" The image of perfection's terse voice cut through her thoughts.  
  
"I thought you said you weren't going with anyone."  
  
"But – you already are." She said, making a wild stab. She didn't know why she was so anxious to get away from him – or why she kept rejecting every invitation. She just wanted to leave already. She knew she didn't like his sureness about HER.  
  
She glanced up quickly for a sign of guilt or shame and was shocked to see him shrug it off; she taken aback by his reply.  
  
"So what? I can always get some from her tomorrow."  
  
Everything slowed at his flippant comment.  
  
How... *vile*.  
  
Her mind set and she went back to staring at her specter across the way.  
  
"I'm not going." She stared flatly. If she stared hard enough, she could almost make out some of his features.  
  
"But I thought you just said –"  
  
"With you, at least."  
  
Kit could feel him tense beside her and was reminded again of his slim, Herculean build and god-like stature.  
  
"Why?" He drew out the word, his voice dangerously low.  
  
"For a few reasons." Once again, Kit found herself hoping her voice wasn't trembling too terribly.  
  
"One, I don't know your age. Two, I don't know your house, three – I don't even need a three! Heck, I don't even know your *name*., I don't know what you're like – though I've got a faint impression – I don't know a *thing* about you, and at the moment, I don't think I care to. Come back when I'm in a better mood."  
  
For a moment, the boy lost his god-like appeal. Quickly, he regained his composure, and lowering his head down next to her ear, he murmured, "Oh, all that can be arranged so easily... over lunch, over dinner... while you're getting dressed..."  
  
His arm was snaking around her waist and she could feel him put his cool lips against her earlobe.  
  
Panicked, Kit wrenched away and stumbled against the wall.  
  
She knew her voice was quavering as she called out,  
  
"No thanks"  
  
before taking off and leaving Cupid's Son staring after her, incapable of speech.  
  
~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~  
  
The door banged loudly off the wall as Kit barreled into the Professor's office. Professor Snape eyed her coldly, but allowed her to catch her breath before saying,  
  
"Never do that to my door again. No, as it is a Sunday, I can only guess the reason that you, along with a third of the school's population, have been intruding on my personal time."  
  
"Forgive me, Professor." She murmured automatically.  
  
Snape glanced up sharply at her words and glared.  
  
"I'm not deaf, *girl*, and your sarcasm is *not* appreciated." He growled at her.  
  
Dumbfounded, Kit stared at him.  
  
"Wh- ? Oh! Oh, Professor – I – I didn't mean – I wasn't trying to – um – s- sorry, Professor, I – sorry." She stuttered. Kit could feel her ears burn as she realized how impudent – how dumb! – she had sounded; it was almost enough to make her cringe.  
  
"Enough," He said with a wave of his hand, glancing at her disgustedly, "I want to get this over with."  
  
With a flick of his wand, a bowl of water and rose petals appeared. Kit's eyes lit up in recognition.  
  
"I thought this was only for girls on Midsummer Night's eve." She blurted, forgetting her earlier chagrin.  
  
Snape looked up briefly and his lips didn't seem to point so far down.  
  
"A muggle's mistake." He grunted. "One of the few who didn't give birth to a wizard or witch and still knew about the wizarding world... of course, being a muggle, he still botched it up."  
  
A moments silence ensued.  
  
"Give me your wand." He said abruptly. Kit did so willingly and he lay it upon the water, where it slowly sank.  
  
For a while, all was still. Kit was on the verge of boredom when suddenly, her WAND MOVED.  
  
"Professor..." She breathed.  
  
He shushed her quickly and the two watched in silence as her wand slowly lifted from the water covered mirror and trailed water in a pattern on top the black rose petals. Her wand completely ignored the white, yellow, and red ones, but kept steadily to the black petals, hovering silently over them, droplets collecting above the table and arranging themselves before falling silently from the air.  
  
Finally, her wand turned once and that was it. With a splash, it fell back onto the glass.  
  
Kit cleared her throat and her mouth opened but nothing came out.  
  
Silently, Professor Snape lifted himself from his chair and glided over to the petals. His sudden movement freed her voice and she choked,  
  
"Who is it?"  
  
Something like a grin lighted on the Potions Master's face, but Kit blinked and it was gone. Calmly, he looked up, handed Kit her wand and said,  
  
"Draco Malfoy."  
  
Numbly, she herself stood and moved over toward the bowl. Sure enough, burned into the black petals – more like acid than like water – was the name that her wand – HER WAND – had spelled out (A/N: No pun intended).  
  
She didn't know how long she stood there, but finally she turned and croaked,  
  
"But – isn't he going with Pansy?"  
  
No sooner had the words left her mouth than Draco Malfoy walked in.  
  
"You called, Professor?" Came his lazy drawl.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, you will be escorting this girl to Hogsmeade in," His eyes flicked upward, "fifteen minutes, and on Wednesday, to the Yule Ball. I suggest you fetch your cloaks and scarves. Good day, Mr. Malfoy, Kit."  
  
Dumbstruck, Kit didn't even notice Snape's use of her name as she tagged dully behind Draco.  
  
She really had no idea what had just happened; all she knew was, at least there was no cause for alarm. Her 'situation' wasn't terrible – but once Pansy got wind of this... Kit shivered.  
  
She was glad she was going to Gryffindor after the holidays were over.  
  
Kit switched turned to look at the bright at the bright side. At least she and Draco were comfortable around each other. In fact, this was better than going with Blaise – although he was hilarious, Kit had found out that he could have violent mood swings, and she didn't want to have to hope that everything would be okay on the day of the Ball.  
  
"Why did you run from Ridge?" Draco's smooth voice abruptly cut through her tangled thoughts.  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Ridge." He said impatiently, "The guy who was hitting on you earlier."  
  
Ridge... did he mean the young god? Had to be. She hadn't run from anyone else all week.  
  
"He thought I was easy." She said stiffly.  
  
Draco raised and eyebrow, causing Kit to go on full alert.  
  
"I swear," She growled defensively, "If you say one word..."  
  
"Okay, okay!" Draco said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "That's the girl I know and love."  
  
For some reason, Kit's ears turned pink.  
  
(tall, light and handsome)  
  
Luckily, his back was turned.  
  
No more was said on the subject as the two readied for Hogsmeade. 


	17. Of Hogsmeade and Corsets

Chapter Seventeen:: Of Hogsmeade and Corsets  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
Laughter rang through the halls as students rushed to gather their things for their... unique trip to Hogsmeade. Everyone had a partner and, the girls at least, were alternately squealing over the clothes they would have their escorts try and fretting over what they themselves might be forced into.  
  
The boys, needless to say, were just as nervous; they just didn't say anything about it.  
  
When Draco entered the entrance hall to line up for the Hogwarts' excursion, half dragging a nervous Kit along beside him, whispers and stares instantly erupted from the Slytherin girls. Among what she could catch were the words "slut" "twofaced" and "wench", along with many more colorful phrases that set her eyes whirling. Steadfastly, Kit stared down at the floor, struggling to hold her eye color.  
  
She was growing concerned; lately she had had less control over eyes than usual; they had become an indifferent whirlwind, changing on a whim.  
  
She was pulled from her thoughts as Hannah Abbot came up to her, glaring defiantly at the hissing group of Slytherin girls. Kit was extremely grateful and chatted happily with her, leaving Draco free to talk with Blaise and others until the entry doors swung open; they were on their way to Hogsmeade!  
  
__________________________________________________________________________  
  
Fifteen minutes later saw Draco and Kit in front of Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.  
  
They had decided previously that they should get their garments first and wander later; apparently everyone else had decided the very opposite, to their great surprise. Madame Malkin's was nearly empty.  
  
"Well." Draco cleared his throat. If he had not been Draco, Kit would've thought he seemed a bit apprehensive. "Shall we go in?"  
  
"Wait." Kit said quickly, "First, let's promise we'll get each other something nice."  
  
The expression on Draco's face was one of immense relief.  
  
He cleared his throat again. "Yeah, lets."  
  
So the two headed into the shop.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
Upon entering, Draco headed one way and Kit the other, agreeing to meet back in fifteen minutes with their finds – if any.  
  
Kit stepped back to survey the suits with a critical eye. She dismissed the open neck, American 70's style suits with a wave of her hand – and got a surprise when the suit actually folded itself and floated away to make room for the next style.  
  
Black suits, white suits, blue suits, pinstriped suits all floated past; cotton, silk, satin, polyester; open necked, no necked, high necked; puffed sleeve, sleeveless. Finally, her eyes came to rest on the one lone suit resting on the weary rack. It was in black and grey silk with a high, 1800's style neck that opened partially at the top. The waistcoat was a smoky gray with a blue-gray sash. The slacks were creased neatly, also black silk. Her favorite thing about it, though, was that the jacket had coattails and gloves to match the sash. It even had a grey top hat!  
  
She could just see Draco in it, the perfect, old money, 1800's English Gentleman.  
  
"That one..." She breathed.  
  
In response, the regal suit had unfolded itself from the hanger and stood to follow her. As she began to walk, she noticed she had overlooked two things; a deep gray cape attached at the shoulders and an ebony cane topped with silver etchings. Those, too, stood to follow.  
  
She gave a little hop of excitement, turned, and went as fast as she could to the front of the store without breaking into a run. It was too perfect!  
  
There stood Draco, lounging against the register with a deep scowl marring his handsome face. It changed abruptly as he saw Kit bouncing toward him.  
  
"You certainly seem happy." He said dryly.  
  
"Oh, just wait Draco! You've got to see what I found!"  
  
"But –"  
  
"Here, go put it on! Oooh, I can't wait to see it on you!" She squealed.  
  
"But –"  
  
"Go!"  
  
And she shoved him into the dressing room.  
  
Three minutes later, she burst through the door.  
  
"You're taking too long!" She half complained, half explained. "Jeez, Draco," She whistled, eyeing him, "I didn't know you were so muscular." All he was wearing were the slacks.  
  
He half scowled, half blushed at this comment, but quickly recovered.  
  
"You think you can do any better?" He snapped. "I can't make heads or tails of this."  
  
"Oh, just give it to me!" She said impatiently. He tossed the clothes to her.  
  
Quickly, Kit separated everything and assembled it. In a moment, the shirt was over his head. He yelped as he felt her hands on his butt.  
  
"What are you doing?!"  
  
"I'm *trying* to tuck your shirt in!" She retorted. "What do you think I'm doing?"  
  
"I'll do the rest, thank you." He mumbled. Turning away, he unzipped his slacks and stuffed the end of his shirt down – or started to.  
  
"Hold on, Draco!" Kit yelped. "You're going to ruin the shirt like that! Here – just let me –"  
  
"What?! No!"  
  
"Oh, come *on*, it's not like I've never seen guy's underwear, or a guy in his underwear for that matter. Just –"  
  
"Look, I don't –"  
  
"Draco! Let me –"  
  
"No! I –"  
  
"You just said you have no idea what you're doing!"  
  
"Yes, but –"  
  
"And you have never worn muggle dress clothes in your life!"  
  
"Yes, but –"  
  
"Plus, you just said you couldn't make heads or tails of the suit." She glared fiercely at Draco, who had tuned to face her and was holding her wrists tight to prevent her from doing anything else.  
  
"I picked it out." She said finally. Draco scoffed.  
  
"So if I pick out you outfit I get to dress you?"  
  
Kit seemed to take his words to heart.  
  
She shrugged. "I don't see why not. I mean, it's not like you can handle all articles of clothing by yourself."  
  
"Smirks don't become you, darling." Draco drawled.  
  
"And scowls don't suit you, pet." She said smugly, reaching out to pat his head.  
  
Draco quickly snatched her wrist again. "Don't. Ever."  
  
Another shrug and he let her go.  
  
With a defeated sigh, he submitted himself to Kit's dressing, tucking and primping.  
  
10 minutes later, he walked out of the dressing room to the mirrors, with a very satisfied Kit trailing along behind.  
  
He had to admit, his partner had good taste.  
  
The suit's colors set off his eyes nicely, and the cape swirled as he walked. The hat, tipped at a rakish angle, added a hint of mystery to him, the gloves and sash giving him a gentlemanly air. He looked good.  
  
The only thing he didn't like was the cane. He flat out refused to even hold the silver topped ebony staff. Only later would she notice that his father owned nearly an exact replica.  
  
"I'll take it." He said approvingly. For a moment, he looked almost happy. Then his scowl returned.  
  
"What?" Kit asked bewilderedly. "What's wrong?"  
  
Draco sighed in frustration as he took off his smoky top hat and ran a hand through his hair.  
  
"I can't find anything for you." He said grudgingly as the walked to the front of the store. He had already changed back to his normal clothes but still held onto the hat.  
  
"I swear, I've looked through the whole bloody –" He stopped as his eyes lit on the rack behind the Display windows. "Hang on..." He murmured and darted behind the case. A few minutes later, he came back levitating a mannequin behind him.  
  
"Madame Malkin," He barked, "We'd like to try *this*."  
  
'This' referred to a low cut dress in forest green and royal blue, lined with the occasional hints of silver and black. It, too, had a cape attached at the shoulders of a black touched with hues of a midnight blue. The bodice front had silver silk lacings. It seemed to be meant to partner the grey and black silk suit. At waist level, the dress folded back to reveal silver and bluegray petty coats – not the fluffy kind, but the smooth, delicate addition that rustled slightly at a movement.  
  
It *was* beautiful, but – not only was it low cut, it was bordering on *dangerously* low cut.  
  
"That?!" She squeaked. "But – but – seriously, Draco, I'll fall out of it!"  
  
He ignored her.  
  
"Madame Malkin!" He snapped.  
  
"I'm coming, I'm coming, keep that hat on, dearie!"  
  
A roundish old witch came hurrying up to them, cheerful as a spring day. "Now, I suppose you'll be wanting to purchase the suit?"  
  
"Yes, but not quite yet." He answered, ignoring Kit's hissing. "We want to try this." He pointed to the floating mannequin.  
  
Madame Malkin became a bit less cheery.  
  
"Are you sure about that, love?" She asked worridly. "That has a nasty contraption that comes with it... a coronet or a – a cobbler, or, what was it, a –"  
  
"- a corset?" Kit supplied weakly, trying to quench the growing horror within her.  
  
Malkin snapped her fingers. "That's it! Painful muggle contraption, that it. One lady tried it the first day it came it and fainted. Claimed it was cursed." She snorted.  
  
His curiosity thouroughly peaked, Draco ventured, "What's it do?"  
  
"Well, to be blunt, it stuffs everything in and shoves everything up."  
  
"Everything...? Oh..." An evil looking smile spread slowly across his face as he looked at Kit. "I want to see *you* in that." He said wickedly.  
  
"B- but she just said someone actually – actually fainted! It – it's a health hazard, Draco!" She protested.  
  
Draco waved her objection away. "You're slim enough already, so it's not like you've got much to shove in. All it would do for you is add a little... "  
  
"Draco!" She exclaimed, thouroughly horrified at the prospect of losing this battle. "But we – we *promised* that we – that we'd get each other something – something *nice*!"  
  
"Well," he replied stubbornly, "I happen to think that it *is* nice."  
  
"But, Draco..." She was running out of excuses, "What I – what I found – I mean, yours is so – it's perfect!" She stammered desperately, all the while inching back away from him and the prettily disguised death that awaited her.  
  
"Yes, and I thank you for it." Was his smooth reply. "Now, *in*."  
  
And he shoved her into the dressing room.  
  
The next moment, he followed with the death contraption called a 'corset'.  
  
"You know what, I think you'll have to remove most articles of your clothing for this..." He said as he inspected the corset. When he glanced up, Kit was already in the first shift that accompanied the dress.  
  
"You blinked." She commented savagely. The knowledge of the pain she was about to be forced through had put he in anything but a good mood.  
  
"Touchy." He murmured as he approached with the torturous thing.  
  
Kit cinched her eyes shut and braced herself as she felt it go under he arms and around her middle.  
  
Slowly, Draco began to lace up the back; Kit was painfully aware of his breath over her bare shoulders.  
  
"Oops." He murmured as the thing slipped down on her chest.  
  
"Ah – I'll get it." She said, staying his hand. She could hear him muttering about there being little difference between tucking his shirt into his pants and him ytugging a corset back into place over a seethrough shift.  
  
As it was, he wasn't nearly as as gentle the first two tugs as he could have been – but after a couple of shocked and painfilled gasps as the wind rushed from her lungs and her chest began to rise to unnatural heights, he began to pull a bit softer.  
  
"Fine! That's enough!" She gasped out. "Can't – in – anymore – or up – further! Ah!"  
  
At the end of this short, somewhat clipped speech, she was panting. Kit desperately wished that she could slouch over to catch her breath, but she couldn't even bend.  
  
Placing a hand to her heaving chest, she glared at Draco.  
  
"Happy?" She rasped.  
  
"Completely." He said with a smirk, his eyes lazily roving over her. Remembering what he had said about it being a seethrough shift, she turned as quickly as she could manage and stiffly moved to get her dress.  
  
"I'll call you when I get to the back laces." She said, not looking up. He quirked an eyebrow.  
  
"But you –" he began.  
  
"Go!"  
  
Hastily, he obeyed – not exactly shying from her temper, but from the menacing blue spiked shoe being brandished in his direction.  
  
Twenty minutes later had him pacing outside the dressing room. Five minutes ago she had called for Madame Malkin; he would've protested, but the reminder of the shoe kept him quiet. He glanced at his watch. They had been there for nearly an hour; fifty three minutes, to be precise, his watch chirped up to him. He scowled. This was supposed to be a *short* trip.  
  
Just as he was about to tell Kit to forget the whole thing – he wanted to leave while he was still a youth – Madame Malkin stepped out, her face aglow.  
  
"Ooh, I say you've got good tast, dear." She said with a wink, "And not just in clothes."  
  
She drew aside the curtain with a dramatic 'whoosh' to reveal.... Kit.  
  
She was an... ethereal apparition; albeit, a scowling apparition, but heavenly all the same.  
  
Draco realized his mouth was open and shut it with a click.  
  
"Just let me see a mirror." She huffed. Draco shrugged out of his trance and obeyed.  
  
"I – I thought I wa going to dress you." He said in an effort to regain his composure.  
  
"You laced me in tight enough, didn't you?" She replied coolly.  
  
Kit wasn't a happy girl.  
  
Until she looked in the mirror.  
  
A three-way mirror.  
  
Stepping in front of it wiped her scowl off in a instant. For a moment, she stared before glancing over her shoulder, as if to make sure she was really staring at herself.  
  
Madame Malkin's eyes nearly disappeared in her face as she beamed at the two.  
  
"Well, you two are as fine a gentleman and lady if I've ever seen one!"  
  
"Th- that's me? That's really me?" Kit managed to croak.  
  
"I know, I had a bit of a hard time believing it myself," Draco said with a smirk. "I mean, all your actions point to a tomboy."  
  
"Draco, if you were any closer I'd smack you." She snarled.  
  
"Why do you think I'm standing out of range?" He taunted.  
  
"Children, children!" Madame Malkin broke in, "Why don't you wrap up your business in here before the day is over! Otherwise you won't have any time to do whatever it is young lovers nowadays do!"  
  
At her words, the pair shut up and stared. Then a faint pink tinged Draco's cheeks.  
  
Kit, however, laughed outright.  
  
"L- lovers? Me and – HIM?" Clearly, to her, the thought was hilarious.  
  
"Well," Madame Malkin looked a bit confused, "You two certainly act like ones."  
  
"Act? How?"  
  
"Well, the way you argue... the way you talk – and the way you two seemingly have no respect for each others privacy." She added with a glimmer of amusement in her voice.  
  
"Of course," Kit countered, "Siblings often act like that, too."  
  
"Yes, I suppose so," Madame Malkin admitted slyly, "But the way that young man is going the color of dawn led me to think otherwise."  
  
"Nah," Kit said dismissively, "Draco's just like this when he's at a loss for words." She glanced in his direction. "Which isn't often – at least, I don't think so. I've only known him for about a week."  
  
Madame Malkin lifted an eyebrow. "That new?"  
  
"Yeah, well, I just came to Hogwarts at the beginning of the month and I just met Draco a little while back."  
  
Kit felt odd saying this. Lately, she'd felt like she'd known him forever. They'd be talking and suddenly lapse into a completely comfortable silence and then she'd be zapped by the thought of just how perfect her friend seemed... set off even more as he let out a sigh and ran a lazy hand through his platinum hair... that was when she was aware of his admirers that were always close by – glares at the ready when Kit turned.  
  
A few times, she had even felt a little... spark, that made her almost want to be closer than friends. She could date this to her dream about her mother – not that she'd known him then. In fact, there wasn't much she knew about him now.  
  
That realization perturbed her. Why – how – could she feel so close to someone she'd known for so short a time? It didn't seem to make sense. Draco's words came back to her...  
  
It isn't always time that decides whether or not you like someone... or trust them  
  
She fought the urge to shiver as she slipped into bed later that night.  
  
Draco had refused to let her pay for the dress and in the end she'd had to (resignedly) allow him his way, as she had left her purse back at school.  
  
Afterward, she had sworn to pay him back – only, he had refused to show her the receipt after letting out a low whistle and made it vanish. He was irritating, to put it mildly.  
  
As the two exited with their outfits, they found the oddest thing: hundreds of students were milling about, entering and exiting Madame Malkin's. But when they had left, nobody had been inside.  
  
Sticking her head inside, Kit confirmed it; the place was practically empty.  
  
Keyword: Practically  
  
From the corner of her eye, a robe swished. Turning toward it, there was nothing. A purple shirt flashed from her other side; turning quickly, she found... nothing.  
  
Again she waited, scanning the rows with her peripheral vision.  
  
There – long brown hair floated by. Kit snatched for it ... and was greeted by a scream.  
  
Suddenly, the whole scene before her began to flicker; it was like watching people dance in front of a strobe light.  
  
Kit frowned. What was going on? Just as she was about to reach in to the flashing image before her, a huffing Madame Malkin came rushing up.  
  
"Hold on just a minute, there." She puffed heavily, glaring menacingly at Kit, "Do you want to ruin Dumbledore's surprise? Let go of it!"  
  
Kit looked at her in surprise – and not just because she could move so fast. "What do you mean?" She asked, glancing back at the scene. She winced; the whole thing was giving her a headache. "I'm not holding onto it."  
  
Madame Malkin sighed and tapped her head with a forefinger. "Stop being curious."  
  
"I can't do that! It's in my nature!" Kit protested helplessly. She was really getting tired of the scene. Literally. Her eyes were beginning to droop.  
  
"I will tell you everything – if you let go!"  
  
"Hm?" Kit tried to keep standing. "Okay, I guess. Just make this stop."  
  
At her words, everything snapped back into place. The strobe effect faded and Kit felt all her energy returning.  
  
"What was that?" She asked, rubbing her arms nervously. She glanced back in the direction from where she saw the flashes. Everything was still.  
  
Turning back, she found Madame Malkin peering closely at her.  
  
"What?" She repeated, taking a step back.  
  
Madame Malkin sighed and rubbed her forhead. "That, m'dear, was a crypt charm. Professor Dumbledore himself placed it on the shop so that everyone's purchases would be a surprise at the Yule Ball this year – just to make things a bit more interesting."  
  
"All that – and just for a small surprise?" Kit demanded. "It felt like I could've died."  
  
"No, no, you just would've slept for a few days. You weren't holding on to a big crypt." Madame Malkin replied absently. She stared at Kit again. "It takes a pretty powerful person to see through any crypt charm – I especially wouldn't have thought it of a pretty little snip like you."  
  
Kit shrugged defensively. "It just got a bit annoying. I could see it from the corners of my eyes, that's all."  
  
"Still."  
  
Kit shifted agitatedly. "Look, you can do it, right? I mean, it's your store."  
  
"No, I can't see it. Like I said, the Headmaster set the charm. I couldn't see it until you, dear, disturbed it."  
  
"Look, it was an accident. I didn't mean to hurt anything. It's not like anything could've happened, anyway."  
  
Madame Malkin was shaking her head. "That's not true. When you break a crypt charm of someone else's, it drains your magic until you let go; call it a built in defense mechanism."  
  
Kit blinked. "So that's why I got so tired? Then why don't I feel empty now?"  
  
"Because you let go." She reminded her placidly. "If you give up soon enough, the crypt charm will return your magic." She returned to staring at the girl before giving a sigh. "Oh well. Along with you, I've got other customers to deal with."  
  
Frowning, Kit obeyed and trotted out of the store once more. That was a bit weird to say the least.  
  
Draco was waiting for her. After getting no response to his query about where she had been, he shrugged and began walking.  
  
After a moment, Kit glanced up and ran to catch up. She'd think about it some other time.  
  
They had stopped by Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer and browsed through Zonkos. On the way back through town, they talked and laughed and talked some more, picking up some sweets before heading back to school where they said their goodbyes.  
  
Today was to be her first day in Gryffindor.  
  
She had met up with a prefect who had brought her in silence to the portrait entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room. (She was called the Fat Lady, the solemn student informed her. And she certainly was fat. And pink.)  
  
She had been too tired to even exclaim at the fact that her room had remained the same, only with a different entrance. (Instead of going through a hidden window behind a suit of armor, she walked into a big standing mirror beside the fireplace.)  
  
After saying her polite thank you's and good night's, she collapsed onto her (thankfully) familiar bed.  
  
It's not always time that determines whether or not you like someone... or trust them.  
  
That night, Kit didn't dream, but fell asleep with a smile on her face.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Hello again! I know that it has been a while, I'm just glad I've been able to post. I hope you enjoy this chapter.  
  
Thank you to all who have reviewed, past and present!  
  
KitoraCrysta: Yes, the Trio will be featured in very-near-to-the-future- chapters! This is a Harry Potter fanfic, so I suppose he has to be in it sometime. ^_^ 


	18. The Yule Ball pt 1: Preparation

Chapter Eighteen:: The Yule Ball pt. 1: Preparation  
  
__________________________________________________  
  
Immense nervousness and suspicion came in the days leading up to the Yule Ball.  
  
Things seemed to be a bit odder at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry than usual; for instance, if anyone tried to tell someone else about their outfits, either they found they could not talk, they couldn't hear, or they couldn't remember what had just been said.  
  
As for the nervousness, that was mostly on the girls' part; trying to find what makeup would work best with their outfits got extremely annoying when you couldn't even ask anyone's opinion because no one would know what you were talking about.  
  
However, it seemed that the nervousness spread to the boy's population as well. Either they fretted about what others would say when they showed up in the Great hall, or they would complain about not being able to complain about the state of their outfits.  
  
This particular event was putting everyone's nerves on edge.  
  
Teachers were stressing out about the number of students they had to deal with because of their immense stress. Everyone felt that the Yule Ball could not come soon enough.  
  
And so, everyone, by Dumbledore's decree was given the two days before the Yule Ball off.  
  
_____________________________________________________  
  
Kit's first days in Gryffindor were uneventful. The one upside to it was that she had girls who would actually talk to her whom she could confer with and joke. It was a relief to actually talk to a girl now and then.  
  
Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley seemed to sense her need for speech and included her in everything; from teachers to boys to homework to family to praising people and dissing people – though they learned to stay away from the subject of Draco Malfoy when Kit was around.  
  
Finally, the long awaited, half-dreaded day came.  
  
One by one, people slipped out of the common room on Christmas Eve and went quietly up to their dorms to prepare for the coming event.  
  
When the common room was all but empty, Kit vanished through her mirror... to come face to face with a shock.  
  
In the center of her room stood Blaise and Draco, grinning incessantly. Blaise was already made up beautifully in a forest green business-like suit. His hair was brushed back and a bit tossled, giving him a conflicting look of playfulness and sophistication. For once, his hair actually seemed to be behaving itself – as well as the person underneath it.  
  
Draco, on the other hand, was dressed in a white tee shirt and jeans, his hair tussled as if he'd run his hand through it one too many times. He looked like a 1950's American movie star.  
  
Although Kit admired this look, with his work shirt showing shadows of his muscularity and his jeans looking extremely comfortable and his overall look giving off an entirely playful air, Kit had to admit it wouldn't work for the Yule Ball.  
  
"Wh- what are you two doing in here? HOW did you get in here?"  
  
Blaise grinned. "We tried an experiment; we –"  
  
Draco's elbow shot out to meet his ribs.  
  
Blaise winced. "- I wanted to see if we could still get in to your place through the window. It seemed we could, so we decided to come tonight, wait till you came, and give you a makeover for the ball!"  
  
Kit stared at him. "Makeover?"  
  
"Yeah," Blaise said impatiently, "You know, your hair, your makeup, get you dressed, etc., etc., etc. Come on!"  
  
And he grabbed her arm, tugging her through the right hand door to her giant sized bathroom.  
  
"W–"  
  
"Take off your clothes and get in the tub – we'll be in in a minute." Blaise said with a wink before retreating out the door.  
  
Kit could hear a yelp, then Blaise stuck his head back through the door.  
  
"Draco wants me to tell you, the white bubbles are thick enough so we won't see anything." He added weakly. "Ow..."  
  
Kit giggled as he tugged his head back out of the room.  
  
Glancing about, her eyes landed on the Olympic sized tub.  
  
Warily, she approached it as she stripped off her robes. Reaching over, she plucked a fuzzy blue towel off the rack beside the tub and laid it by the steps leading down to the water before entering in herself.  
  
Letting out a sigh as the hot water flowed over her, Kit stood still until her body adjusted to the temperature of the water. Slowly, she moved to the faucets and began turning the taps until she found one that spurted thick white foam and smelled faintly of mint.  
  
Once the tub had been filled with the rich bubbles, Kit relaxed and waded over to the side of the pool.  
  
"Okay, you guys can come in now!" She called.  
  
Instantly, the boys bowled through the door.  
  
"Great!" Blaise said enthusiastically, "Now we can..." His voice trailed off as he stared at her.  
  
"What?" Kit asked bewilderedly. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Why didn't you take your braid out?" He asked finally.  
  
"My – oh. I forgot – I don't usually take it out, so – I – I just didn't think of it." She said with a shrug.  
  
Blaise continued to stare at her. "You weren't planning on going to the ball with your hair up, were you? Please tell me you weren't."  
  
Kit shrugged again. "Okay, I won't tell you."  
  
Blaise let out a long-suffering sigh. "And people say girls know all about fashion. Get over here."  
  
Kit glared at his tone, but obeyed, making sure all of her stayed obscured by the bubbles.  
  
"Turn around." He ordered. As she did so, he grabbed her dark rope of hair and hauled it up, surprised at its weight.  
  
Expertly, his hands went to work with unwinding her long braid, which, to his horror, was filled with more tangles than he could imagine.  
  
Blaise glanced at his watch; they had about an hour and forty-five minutes until show time. He heaved another sigh. "We've got a lot of work to do." He muttered under his breath.  
  
_________________________________________________________  
  
Forty-five minutes, twelve screams, three shrieks, one slap, and seven scratch marks later saw a whimpering Kit wrapped in a fluffy blue towel.  
  
Her scalp was throbbing like crazy, and her head felt light. She was positive that Blaise had tugged out over half of her hair, and her head was too sore to touch.  
  
"There," Blaise panted. "At least your hair is done. Now all we need to do is dry it."  
  
"Don't even think about it." Kit growled, "You're never touching my hair again."  
  
"Like I want to?" Blaise retorted. "Look what it got me!" He gestured to his soaked suit, the welt on his chin and the handprint on his face. He looked all as though he had tried to drown her instead of tame her hair.  
  
Kit winced, as much out of shame as out of pain. "Sorry." She mumbled. Impulsively, she touched her hand to his face. Blaise grinned reluctantly.  
  
"Ah well. I guess –"  
  
Suddenly, he stopped. His face wasn't throbbing anymore. Hurriedly, he stood and looked in the mirror.  
  
"What the –" He gasped. His face was perfect again. The welts were gone, and the red hand mark had disappeared.  
  
"Wh-what'd you do?" He stammered, clearly in awe.  
  
He heard a wet sploosh sound and closed his eyes until he heard the sound of a towel.  
  
Kit turned back toward him and made a face. "It's something I can do every now and then. I just can't do it on myself."  
  
"W-wow." Blaise whistled and looked at himself again. "That's pretty amazing. I can just take care of the rest – thank you! I'm not sure I'm gonna be able to get over this new revelation any time soon." He joked as he got out his wand.  
  
With a wave, his suit and hair were back to normal, as they were when she first saw him. He took a look at her for a moment, and then flicked his wrist in her direction. Instantly, the throbbing in her head lessened as the weight on it seemingly decreased.  
  
"What the - ?" Kit looked down at her hair. No longer was it a wet burden. Now it shown pleasantly, black and rich, in dark curls going past her waist.  
  
Blaise gave another whistle. "Have you ever heard of Morgan Le Fay? The woman that even Queen Guinevere was jealous of?"  
  
Kit nodded.  
  
"Ever seen a picture?"  
  
She shook her head.  
  
"You might outrank her." He added admiringly. "All the dark beauties are the best... oh well, let's go get your dress on; I think we're making your boyfriend nervous." He added with a wink.  
  
Kit swatted him.  
  
"Okay, okay! Your Escort, then!" He surrendered with a chuckle.  
  
Sighing, Kit followed him up to her room to be dressed, tucked, brushed and primped.  
  
Now she felt sorry for how she had acted toward Draco. It seemed like a new definition of torture, having Blaise go over her inch-by-inch, folding material in just so here, brushing back a curl here, and waving his wand this way and that over her hair.  
  
He said that he was trying to decide whether she should have a left side part, right side part, middle part, zigzag part or none at all... it was almost enough to make her scream.  
  
Finally, just when her patience was about to snap, Blaise-the-magnificent- master-artist declared her perfect.  
  
Kit positively leapt – as much as she could without bending – off the bed, slipped on her shoes and ran to the entrance – only to be stopped by her Creator's imperious command.  
  
"What now?" She winced at the whiny tone of her voice.  
  
"You can't just rush out there!" Blaise cried, plainly horrified. "You're not a peasant Cinderella princess who doesn't know any better; first off, she was a blond, secondly, she was a peasant, and third, she didn't have me. You, on the other hand, are a raven-haired beauty, who is going with the wealthiest guy in the school – and possibly the wizarding world – and you do happen to have me. So. Get back here. And walk. With me."  
  
Groaning, Kit stalked back toward him and was rewarded with a frown. "Do you really want to embarrass him?" He asked slyly.  
  
Kit frowned in return. "Nothing I do would embarrass him." She retorted, but the seed of doubt had been planted, and she stayed by his side.  
  
"Good." Blaise said satisfactorily. "Now," He continued, placing her hand in the crook of his arm, "We will walk together. Draco will be coming with my charge and at the doors, we will switch. You will walk like this."  
  
He demonstrated with his head raised slightly, striding slightly, but slowly. "Of course," He added deviously, "You'll be adding your own little hip swing and jig to it, I hope."  
  
Kit glowered at him. "You're not getting everything, O Wise One. You're lucky I'm following these orders."  
  
"Don't I know it?" Blaise replied easily.  
  
Sighing, she once again thought of how unfair it was that he was made with the gift of keeping anyone or anything from being mad at him for more than a moment.  
  
Slowly, she walked around the room, skirt trailing slightly, moving a bit faster than she would if she were at a wedding.  
  
"Good." Blaise said approvingly. "Now, we can go."  
  
It took all of her self-restraint to keep from running.  
  
______________________________________________________________________  
  
Hello! I want to say thank you to all my reviewers, past and present! Keep on reviewing, please, it gives me inspiration. If any of you have any ideas, please share them and I'll see if I can fit them in!  
  
~Greek Witch~ Thanks for the compliment! I'll try to update more frequently; maybe I can get it down to a definite twice a week – or at least once and a half. ^_^  
  
~Kirjava Deamon~ Well, I actually don't know what you mean, but I'm glad you liked this enough to review! My English only gets better further on. *wink* *haha*  
  
~Wedgie Antilles~ Ha ha! I'm glad to see all us Draco luvrs (he's got a lot) are influencing your thinking to the best... heehee  
  
Thanks again!  
  
Oh, and I'm stealing this line, Luv ya lots like bertie botts! See you in Chapter Nineteen!  
  
Yours truly,  
  
Silverfey 


	19. The Yule Ball pt 2: The Promise

Chapter Nineteen:: The Yule Ball pt. 2: The Promise  
  
___________________________________________  
  
"Come on," Blaise whispered, "Let's walk around a bit before we look for them."  
  
Kit giggled. "Normally I'd refuse, as I'd suspect you only want to show me off as a decoration. But as I like the sight of all these jaws dropping at our approach..." She laughed outright as a boy glanced up and stuck himself with a corsage, "... I think I'll take you up on your offer."  
  
Certainly, many things were happening as they passed by; one boy walking down the stairs stared and walked into a suit of armor. Several people just stopped what they were doing – whether it be talking, kissing or moving.  
  
Luckily, the pair didn't have that affect on everyone. If that were the case, they'd most likely never reach the Great Hall.  
  
It seemed there were more people in love than in lust that Christmas Eve in Hogwarts. No one was all over each other and no one was leading anyone anywhere but to the Great Hall. Even when it was clearly a friend-friend issue, the night was one sworn to be... magical.  
  
Blaise found his date early on a Kit urged them to go ahead.  
  
Walking halfway up on particularly narrow staircase, she looked over the crowd of couples. Seeing Hannah, she began to wave – but her balance was off – she wavered – her shoe strap broke – she felt herself tipping back – into someone's arms.  
  
She looked up at her savior.  
  
"Halloo." She said conversationally. "Will you always be here to catch me when I fall?"  
  
(A/N: Guess who it is!! Guess!)  
  
The boy holding her grinned and set her down before fetching her traitorous shoe.  
  
"Thanks, Harry." She said quietly. (A/N: Yep! Here is another small appearance!!) Glancing around quickly, she leaned over and pecked him on the cheek.  
  
"Anytime, if I continue to get thanks like that." He said with a grin.  
  
Kit laughed and nudged him. "So, who are you with?" She asked curiously.  
  
"Oh, um." Harry hesitated, his cheeks reddening a bit. "Do you remember Ron? Well, it's his little sister, Ginny."  
  
Kit chuckled. "You know Harry, if you say 'younger' instead of 'little', you mightn't feel quiet so awkward. Better yet, skip all adjectives and just say his sister." She advised.  
  
Harry gave a reluctant grin. "Is it that obvious?"  
  
"What? Your discomfort? Of course it is!" Kit exclaimed. "To me, in any case." She added in an undertone.  
  
"Why you - !" He cried in mock outrage. "I should hex you for that!"  
  
"Oh, but I'm too pretty and sweet to hex." She countered, batting her eyelashes at him.  
  
Harry snorted. "You flatter yourself."  
  
"I only speak that which is true." She responded primly.  
  
Harry laughed at her tone. "So," he began once he recovered, "This is the first time I've actually spoken with you and you're only in my house for another three days."  
  
"Three and a half." Kit corrected.  
  
He grinned. "Whatever. Anyway, who are you with tonight? Do I know him?"  
  
Kit snorted. "How much you wanna bet that's what Ron asked Ginny before he flew into a confused tantrum?"  
  
Harry looked confused. "What's that got to do with anything? Are you saying I'm acting like an overprotective older brother?" He asked with a smirk.  
  
"Just a bit, a smidgen, really." Kit explained.  
  
Harry took a breath. "I only asked once, but I'll lay off. It's just, I really like you, Kit, and I honestly don't know why. I mean, I feel so – close to you. It's something about your personality. You're almost like a – a sibling. The cute little, sometimes annoying, get-away-with-murder-cuz- I'm-me little sister."  
  
Aside from the last comment, Kit was genuinely touched. Sometimes she looked at family members together and grew sad, realizing she didn't have anyone of her own to yell at or laugh at, to joke with and protect. It made her feel... content to know that someone felt the same and wanted to remedy it through her.  
  
"Thanks, Harry." She said softly.  
  
He cleared his throat. "Yeah. Well. Now that I'm done embarrassing myself, who *are* you going with?"  
  
"Excuse me Potter," a low voice broke in, "but I do have a destination and you are in my way to it."  
  
Harry automatically stiffened at the voice. "Listen, Ferret," he spat, tensing up for a full out war, "I'm –" He stopped at Kit's choked laugh.  
  
"He – he calls you 'Ferret'? Oh, you're going to have to tell me everything about the story behind *that* name, Draco."  
  
Harry shifted to see his rival glaring daggers at him, as usual.  
  
"And what, exactly," he said through clenched teeth, "Makes you think I'd tell you?"  
  
Kit dazzled him with a sideways grin. "Because," She glanced at Harry and winked, "I'm me."  
  
Draco rolled his eyes – a gesture so normal, so everyday, so – so – *human*, Harry was nothing short of shocked.  
  
"Now," Kit began, as if picking up on a conversation, "Angea – she's the Ravenclaw who's going with Blaise Zabini –" She added for Harry's sake, "She said that your first excuse for being late was that you couldn't find your hat. She reminded you of Accio and then you couldn't get your cloak to lay right. Now, I've asked myself, what could possibly make Malfoy-the- Great nervous? And," She shifted so she could see him, "I – " She stopped.  
  
There he stood.  
  
She couldn't think of anything to say.  
  
She had thought Harry looked different, with his forest green silk shirt, black slacks and blazer, contacts, and his hair actually under control.  
  
But Draco – it was as if the first time she had seen him all dressed up was only an – an outline, a sketch. Now – this was in full color.  
  
The black and grey silk were amazing on him. His grey cape fluttered and swirled as he descended the stairs toward her, top hat in hand. His hair, for once, was not slicked back, but parted on the side and swirled like it had been when she walked into her room earlier.  
  
The contrast of Dark and Light on him was so complete; it was hard to decide if he was a descending angel or some dark prince come to claim her.  
  
In short, he was not every girl's dream guy; he was every girl's fantasy.  
  
She opened her mouth again, but nothing came out.  
  
Harry couldn't help but smirk. "If you're having this affect on Kit, you might want to bring smelling salts for your date."  
  
Draco scowled at him. "She *is* my date, Potter."  
  
So said, he gently grasped Kit's hand and tugged her up.  
  
Harry, who had been playing with her hair, stood with her and let it tumble.  
  
It was Draco's turn to mirror Kit's initial shock.  
  
Gone were her reading glasses, braid, and ill-fitting school clothes. Here was a shapely, celestial maiden, ribbons of moonlight woven into her curls. Stars seemed to have settled around her neck in a delicate addition, drawing his eyes from her neck to her face. Everyway she turned, she caught the light.  
  
She didn't need a prince or and angel to make her complete; however, she, like any other girl, wanted one.  
  
Draco would be hers.  
  
She stumbled a bit and Draco caught her, aware of how close they were.  
  
"I – I haven't even reached the doors of the Great Hall, and already my shoe broke." She said with a breathless laugh. "I guess I'm no Cinderella."  
  
"Of that I'm glad," Draco replied softly, "It means you won't be leaving me any time soon. I promise not to step on your feet." He added with a small smile.  
  
Kit returned it tentatively.  
  
It was as if they were completely new people. The changes were so drastic, it was almost scary.  
  
"Malfoy."  
  
The pair snapped out of their stargazing and looked down at Harry. Ginny was there beside him in a forest green evening gown. Her flaming hair was partly piled upon her head; the other half tumbled down her shoulders and back in soft curls.  
  
"Hey." She greeted. "Kit, let's let the boys talk some things out," she emphasized talk with a glance at Harry, "and we –" Her eyes slid to Draco and she stopped.  
  
Blinking a couple of times, she shook her head. "We'll – just – we'll be over here." Her voice sounded a bit odd as she spoke and walked hurriedly over to an empty corner, tugging Kit behind her.  
  
_____________________________________________________  
  
Harry turned to Draco once the girls were out of earshot.  
  
"You heard what I said to her?" He asked abruptly.  
  
Draco nodded absently, his eyes straying after the girls.  
  
"Then you know that I won't hesitate to cause you bodily damage should you make her cry."  
  
Draco snorted. "Isn't that a little extreme, Potter? Girls cry all the time. It's called PMS. Besides," He drawled, "I could easily say the same for you. It's not like you're the only one she's got looking out for her."  
  
_______________________________________________________  
  
"Wow." Ginny said admiringly, watching the two young men, "What did you do to him?"  
  
Kit looked at her blankly. "What do you mean?"  
  
Ginny shook her head. "I keep forgetting you only just got here. I mean, you've turned him from a whiney, sniveling Ferret wanna-be Deatheater into a fantasy guy."  
  
Kit giggled. "Not really. He was already like that when I came. I may have refined him a bit, though." She added thoughtfully.  
  
Ginny sighed. "Well, whatever you did, I'm envious. He looks – dare I say it? – gorgeous."  
  
Kit nudged her. "It's not like you need to be; your guy is looking pretty fine himself." She said with a wink.  
  
Ginny blushed. "Uh, yeah. He – he said he was saving contacts for a special occasion and – I was as special as they got." She muttered.  
  
Kit put on a face of shock. "No! And you swear he said that? The flatterer!"  
  
Ginny laughed at her exaggeration. "You know, sometimes it seems like – like you almost know him better than us, and you've been here less than a month." She noted thoughtfully.  
  
Kit shrugged. "Sometimes it takes a person from the outside to notice someone's flaws and excessive good points. People who've been close to others for a long time tend to overlook things – habits – that eventually seem natural. I try – " She giggled "- keyword, TRY – to keep those in mind. I'm just better at that than some."  
  
Ginny shrugged. "Makes sense. Oh, don't look now, our prices are about to sweep us off our feet."  
  
Sure enough, the two boys were walking at arms length away from each other, steadfastly ignoring the other.  
  
Kit sighed wearily. At least they weren't foaming at the mouth.  
  
"Hey guys!" She said brightly, "Ready to make our grand appearances?"  
  
Draco scowled. "Wee would if Blaise would ever show up."  
  
Kit's face froze. "Blaise? Oh – jeez, I forgot all about our entrance." She smacked a hand to her forehead. "Oh – I'm – I'm so sorry, Draco. He met up with Angea a while ago and went in!"  
  
"And just how long," Draco asked stiffly, "Is 'a while'?"  
  
Kit winced. "Um – twenty minutes? Draco, I am sorry! I was so dumb to have forgotten to tell you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked up at him with big doe eyes. "Can you ever forgive me?" She pouted slightly.  
  
Draco looked down at her silently.  
  
"Draco," She said after a moment, :"If you don't say something soon, I'm going to laugh and we won't be able to go in for another 'while'."  
  
Still he didn't do anything. Finally, he glanced away, saying, "You're not getting off that easily."  
  
"I know." She answered carelessly. "See," She added to Ginny, "He's still icy when he wants to be."  
  
Draco sighed and lifted a hand in a familiar gesture.  
  
"Don't!" She cried out, grabbing his hand.  
  
He glared at her.  
  
"You'll mess up your hair." She explained weakly.  
  
Heaving another sigh, he turned and began walking toward the doors of the Great Hall.  
  
__________________________________________________  
  
Hey guys, it is me! I know it has been a loooooooonnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggggg while, and I'm sorry. But here it is, the next chapter! And, again, I apologize, the Yule Ball is to go on in Chapter 20, the Entrance, and might not finish until chapter 21... so please, bear with me.  
  
Thank you to all my reviewers, new and old! I love you guys!  
  
~drangonsile~ Yep! A great legend, a great author... I can't help but steal a *little* from them!  
  
~Greek Witch~ So true. But... I'll wait to add his jealous rages... *grins wickedly* Admittedly, that'd be fun!  
  
~Weirdo101~ Thank you! I'm glad you like it; that'll mean you'll read more! haha  
  
~Glass Dragon, a.k.a. Stella~ Thank you, I'll definitely be looking into it as soon as I can... I'm so happy more people are reading and beginning to review!  
  
~MutalatedTurtle~ Aw... come on! I've turned some readers into Draco fans... perhaps I can turn you, too? Perhaps? Maybe? ^_^  
  
Oh, by the way, all regular disclaimers apply... see you in the next chapter! 


	20. The Yule Ball pt 3: The Entrance

Chapter Twenty:: The Yule Ball pt. 3: The Entrance  
  
____________________~_________________________  
  
After a few steps, he realized that his Lady was no longer with him. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw her in what appeared to be a heated argument with Ginny, Potter standing uneasily off to one side.  
  
Finally, Kit turned and ran up to him.  
  
"I've fixed it." She said breathlessly.  
  
"Fixed what?"  
  
"Our partnering problem. We'll just change off with Harry and Ginny."  
  
Draco's face froze. "You expect me to hold *that* on my arm?!" He whispered furiously.  
  
Kit's eyes flashed in anger, but she struggled to remain composed. "Draco," She said softly, "I swear, if you say anything like that in my presence again, I will slap you. I know all about your rivalries, and frankly, most sound pretty dumb. And no, I did not get all my information from Gryffindors; I asked around all houses, including Slytherin. I know you might've been raised to look down on others, and I know that old habits die hard. But Ginny Weasely is a friend. If you don't want to go in with them, you could just say so. But I will not stand to hear others speak bad about friends in my presence. I don't let Ginny, Harry or Hermione do it about you, so don't expect me to let you do it about them. Now. Do we go in with them – or alone?"  
  
Throughout her speech, Draco had had an odd sensation growing in the pit of his stomach, something he couldn't put a name to. He knew it had nothing to do with Potter or the Weaslette; but he almost wanted to flinch when she said their names.  
  
(Maybe it's shame?)  
  
a tiny voice, from the realms of his mind spoke.  
  
- But for what? –  
  
(For making Kit feel... whatever she's feeling, maybe? For disappointing her, perhaps?)  
  
- Nonsense – Draco argued back – How could I have disappointed her? She knows me – she knows what to expect! –  
  
(Maybe not)  
  
the little voice persisted.  
  
(You haven't known her that long; she's already admitted to getting her information from outside sources)  
  
- But then – what can I do about it? –  
  
(How about explain things to her from where you stand?)  
  
- How can I do that if even *I'm* not sure where I stand? –  
  
(Try telling her that.)  
  
Draco looked down; Kit's hand was resting on his arm. She looked sad.  
  
"With them"  
  
Was that him? Ugh, he sounded so stupid.  
  
Suddenly, he felt a surge of anger at the little voice that had badgered him into agreeing. He was, after all, a Malfoy! He shouldn't care what this girl thought – it wasn't as if she wouldn't ever forgive him.  
  
But the soft smile that was given him at his answer silenced all inward protests.  
  
In response, the corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly.  
  
"Be civil, if not nice." His Lady's light voice broke through his trance, and he wanted to laugh. Instead, he leaned over and pecked her on the cheek before crossing the Hall to Ginny.  
  
~  
  
Just the lightest pressure against her cheek, like a butterfly touching down for a second before flitting away, but from then on, the night was assured perfection.  
  
Why?  
  
Kit kissed people in greetings and goodbyes all the time; but, ever since her mother died, no one had ever responded in any likeness. She'd forgotten how much she missed it.  
  
As she floated over to where Harry stood, she could hear Draco as he coldly introduced himself, "Miss Virginia, I am to be your escort."  
  
Harry held his arm out to her.  
  
"Kit," He began tersely, "Promise me you won't fall for him."  
  
She looked up at him in surprise. "That's a funny Christmas request." She responded lightly as they began walking. "We're just friends."  
  
He glanced over towards Ginny and smiled slightly. "So were we." He answered softly. He took a breath. "Look, if you won't promise me that, just promise you'll be careful?"  
  
Kit looked at him, feigning shock. "Do you have so little faith in me, Harry Potter?" She smiled as he made a face at her. "Besides," She added softly, "I know how to protect my heart."  
  
Before he could ask after her meaning, the four had swept into the Great Hall, where everyone, students and teachers alike stood and applauded, as if they were only the last arrivals and not the twenty some minute late arrivals.  
  
"It must be a Chronos Charm," She heard Harry mutter. "Dumbledore must've set it up in case anyone... got stagefright."  
  
Kit made a face. At least this one had a *real* purpose, unlike the semi- dangerous Crypt charm.  
  
She could feel the twinge of magic as they crossed the threshold, heads held high, radiant.  
  
Harry followed Kit's furious instructions spilling from the side of her mouth on when to stop, face Draco, bow and trade ladies.  
  
As the two young women passed each other, both seemed to blaze for a moment; one, a firey young redhead, the other, a darkly lit beauty.  
  
The two fifteen year olds grinned briefly at each other before crossing to their respective Lords.  
  
Turning once more, they bowed/curtsied before retiring to their seats.  
  
Everyone, it turned out, was not grouped by their houses this time, but by their order of appearance. Instead of the great long wooden tables, small round ones, made for four, dotted the Great Hall.  
  
The center was cleared as a dance floor and a stage had been conjured beyond it.  
  
Blaise and Angea had been a pair ahead of them, so they were seated at the same table.  
  
Blaise's eyes gleamed as he leaned across the table.  
  
"So I see you got stuck with them?" He said, jerking his head to indicate Harry and Ginny.  
  
"No thanks to you." Draco growled.  
  
He only smirked in response. "Wasn't as bad as it could've been, though. Aren't you happy Pansy was one of the first to go?"  
  
A spark lit Draco's eyes. "You –" He started.  
  
"Blaise," Angea cut in, "You can see these two," She glanced curiously at Kit, "any time. Tonight, could you please pay attention to me?"  
  
Instantly, Blaise switched modes from everyday to smooth. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and tugged her closer. She snuggled up against him, blinking slowly.  
  
"Of course, baby," He murmured, "Like I'd let anything interrupt our night?"  
  
Kit rolled her eyes and shifted away from the two. Her gaze traveled the room, stopping occasionally to wave, until they reached the head table.  
  
Professor Dumbledore had stood up and began to quiet the students.  
  
"Couples of Hogwarts!" He called out jovially, eyes twinkling with glee. "It is an honor to see you all here in another fine Yule Ball and an even finer Christmas Eve. A few announcements before we begin; first, I want to congratulate you all on your fine taste in muggle formal clothes; you look marvelous! Second, if you are planning on staying the holiday, please remember to sign in at your dormitories. And last but not least," He added with a chuckle, "The Professors shall be on the look out for the most original couple. If you're it, you'll know. In the meantime, talk, be happy, dance and eat!"  
  
He clapped and gold plates appeared on the tables. People had begun to speak to them and the food materialized, as if they were ordering from an invisible fast food window. Kit copied them and began to munch happily on her Cajun shrimp angel hair pasta.  
  
Blaise snitched some and nearly choked. He drained two and a half glasses of pumpkin juice before he was able to glare waterily at Kit, complaining about how she could've warned him.  
  
Kit only smiled sweetly and continued to eat. "Hot is how it's done in New Orleans."  
  
Someone tapped her shoulder and she turned to face Ginny.  
  
"Hey," She said warmly. "How's it going so far?"  
  
Kit grinned. "Not too bad. I can hardly wait to get on the floor, though. How bout you?"  
  
Ginny returned the grin. "Pretty good. Harry's finally relaxing –" She lowered her voice – "– which means he's able to talk to me again." She rolled her eyes. "He's acting like this is everything, and everything's got to be perfect and I'll throw a fit or something if it's not... I think he's been hanging around Cho too long."  
  
Something stirred in Kit's memory, rousing her curiosity. "Ginny – I've been wondering. How did you two get together? I mean, when I first got here, Harry was with a Ravenclaw, wasn't he? And – you two are both Gryffindors; how'd you manage to squeeze around Dumbledore's rule?"  
  
Ginny's face turned scarlet. "Uh, yeah. Well – to answer your first question, Harry and Cho have – had – this fair-weather, on-off relationship for the past year and a half. She's really pretty and nice and all, but she's also very... emotional. After – after you came and that – incident occurred, he dumped her. At first she was in her hysterical mode - you know, all the extra tears and screaming and sobbing, moreso than usual – but then, Hermione explained it as a time out for her and Harry. When something is explained in the right way, Cho gets it. So she 'agreed' and now the two are happier for it. They're close-ish friends and they talk about – departed loved ones; they both understand that and it's – it's brought them closer.  
  
But then Harry and I began spending more time together – through Quidditch, and now that Ron and Hermione are both busy with Prefect duties and with each other, we were kinda pushed together. As- as for tonight and, us," Her cheeks darkened a shade, "H-Harry went to be matched and – his wand called to mine, I guess. It was really – weird. Professor Snape said that it had been happening a lot, because so many people wanted to go with their girlfriends or boyfriends, but when mine wouldn't go back when he tried it again.  
  
I mean, Harry and I weren't even planning on going together; I was actually about to ask this one Hufflepuff, Jason Wright, but Harry was at a loss, seeing as Cho was going with Justin Finch-Fletchley. Ron and Hermione kept on complaining about how much *they* had wanted to go together, but it didn't happen to either of their wands."  
  
She shrugged. "It just didn't – doesn't – make any sense. But here we are tonight."  
  
Kit was frowning. "Actually, it does, a bit. Kind of."  
  
Ginny waited for her to continue.  
  
"Well – Draco and I – we weren't even on each other's list of possibilities (not that I even had one). But then – I went to Professor Snape, and it just – happened. I wonder if that type of magic thrives on the unexpected?"  
  
The redhead laughed at her friend's musings. "Sounds like Peeves' kind of magic to me."  
  
Kit grinned. "Except the overall outcome is at least a bit better."  
  
"Hey –" a voice interrupted "- are you staying the holidays?" The speaker was Harry, leaning across the table to address Kit.  
  
"Uh – I don't know." She replied, caught off guard.  
  
Harry flashed her a grin. "Well, you better figure out soon. Those leaving have to be at the station by midnight, and we – the Gryffindor refugees – are planning a holiday party." He added in an undertone, so only the girls could hear.  
  
Kit grinned back. "Sounds... tempting. Um - d'you know where Professor Dumbledore is? If you're right, I'd better go ask if he has any plans. I'll be able to get back to you then!"  
  
Harry nodded towards the stage. "He's over there, explaining something or other to the group that's about to perform; I hear they're from America." He added with a grin.  
  
Kit excused herself with a laugh and began making her way over to the Headmaster.  
  
__________________________~__________________________  
  
"Um - excuse me? Professor? I - I don't mean to interrupt, but..."  
  
Professor Dumbledore gave a quick word to the group before turning to her. "So, what seems to be the matter, Kit?"  
  
She hesitated. "Well - I heard you say earlier that students staying over the holidays should make sure they sign on tonight."  
  
"Ah." Professor Dumbledore peered over his half moon spectacles at the girl. "And do you wish to stay the holidays?"  
  
Kit shrugged. "I don't really have anywhere to go, anyway - but as you've planned out so much for me already, I thought I should check with you to see if you had any... alternate plans for me, before I signed on."  
  
"And I'm glad you did," Professor Dumbledore said approvingly. "Otherwise, I'd have to inform the Lady Malfoy of the need to cancel her preparations for a Christmas guest."  
  
"I- what?" Kit blurted, confusion plainly battling with shock on her emotional battle ground - her face. "What do you mean? Draco hasn't said - I mean, he never asked or - told me - he - "  
  
"Ah, but I said *Lady* Malfoy." Dumbledore corrected gently. "At the beginning of the year - more precisely, since I learned of your existence - I asked parents of many of the children here if any were willing to board an extra child. I have had several offers - one of them being the mother of your new found friend."  
  
During this short explanation, Kit's eyes had grown rounder by the word; at the moment, they were nearly the size of saucers, causing the Headmaster to wish desperately that he had the art of reading minds. Legilimancy was out of the question; it would reveal too much. But what on earth could the fifteen year old girl be thinking to shock her this much?  
  
"So - I'm staying with Draco for the next week?"  
  
"Unless he plans to room at the school over the holidays, yes, that's what it looks like."  
  
Kit's eyes snapped down to size. "Oh. Cool. Um - may I leave now?"  
  
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at her quick change of expression. He nodded. "You're dismissed. Don't worry about your possessions; they'll be at the station by the end of the ball - that is, if you do not mind traveling in that." He nodded to indicate her outfit.  
  
Kit's cheeks flushed. "N-no, I don't mind. I've got a cloak to go with this. Um - thank you, Professor, Sir."  
  
He nodded, periwinkle eyes laughing silently. "You'd better get back so young Harry will have more time to get over his disappointment."  
  
Laughing, she obeyed, inching her way back to her table.  
  
________________________~_______________________________  
  
"Um, Harry?"  
  
His face lit up as she approached. "Well, what'd he say? Are you staying?"  
  
Kit winced at his eagerness. "Um- no, actually. Professor Dumbledore has already set up a family to board me over the holiday. Sorry, Harry."  
  
He looked so downcast, it was pure impulse to lean over and kiss him on the forehead, missing the fact that a camera holder was directly behind them.  
  
CLICK! FLASH!  
  
"Hey, Harry! I've got a new camera; instant development!"  
  
The boy, short with a shock of white-blonde hair, held out the picture.  
  
Peering at it over Harry's shoulder, Ginny grinned. "It's a good picture, Collin. Cute."  
  
Craning her neck to see it, too, Kit gasped.  
  
She'd seen the portraits moving and talking and walking though each other's paintings; but this was a mini her, apparently talking with a mini Harry and laughing, giving him a hug around the shoulders and shoving him occasionally at one comment or other.  
  
It was... shocking, to say the least.  
  
"Hey Ginny," Collin's voice broke through her trance, "I heard you got to come with Harry by some bizarre twist. Is it true?"  
  
She nodded with a grin.  
  
"Cool! I'm taking pictures of all the couples. Do you want one?"  
  
"Uh – Harry?"  
  
He grinned in response. "Sure. I mean, this will be a night to remember either way, but it'd be nice to have a memento. Shoot away, Collin."  
  
He obeyed enthusiastically before turning to Kit. "What about you? Who are you here with?"  
  
"Oh – I'm with Draco."  
  
"*Really?* Well. That's... something. D'you think you could get your boyfriend to stand in at least one photo with you?"  
  
"Oh, he's –"  
  
"Please?" He interrupted. "You're so photogenic! It'd be a shame to miss any opportunity to get as many shots of you as possible." He grinned at her imploringly.  
  
Kit laughed. "You make me sound like a drink. Okay, um, just a sec. Draco," She walked over to interrupt his dull-looking conversation with some Slytherin 3rd year girl.  
  
"Hey Draco – Collin wants to photo us; he's doing all the couples."  
  
Sighing, he stood.  
  
"Okay, don't act so excited." She muttered.  
  
Draco frowned. "I heard that."  
  
"You were meant to." She retorted cheekily.  
  
"Wow, what a... happy couple." Collin observed.  
  
Kit smirked. "You have no idea."  
  
Laughing, he told them to move closer together.  
  
"Look, Malfoy, you can't be standing there like a limp noodle – well, actually, technically you could," He added hurridly when the silver eyed glare was aimed his way, "It's just, you're not supposed to. Just – do something you two usually do. Besides bicker."  
  
Almost automatically, Kit backed up into him and glanced up. His arm was draped across her shoulders, and he was watching her oddly. With her repaired heels, their faces weren't as far apart as usual; in fact, they were only inches away...  
  
CLICK! FLASH!  
  
"Nice picture, m'lord, m'lady." He whistled. "You two look completely meant for each other." Glancing down at the photo, he grinned. "It looks like your photo images are less conscientious than their originals."  
  
Tearing her eyes away from Draco, Kit could feel her face heat up as she took in his meaning.  
  
Their mini selves were currently sharing a deep, everlasting-seeming kiss. It looked perfectly innocent; no tongue, no wandering hands, no extreme displays of passion. They simply seemed... in love.  
  
"Happy Christmas." Collin said cheerfully before strolling off to find another willing, photogenic couple.  
  
Draco's cheeks were tinged with color. Looking up from their mini images – who had finally separated and were currently whispering to each other – their eyes met and held for a fraction of a second; closing his eyes briefly, he looked away, cheeks darkening.  
  
Kit cleared her throat. "Um – cute picture." She echoed with a laugh. "Very – sweet." Glancing down at the photo, she gave a sudden grin. "Makes sense, too," She added, "as we were standing under mistletoe."  
  
Draco started and looked hard at the picture. "You can't be serious –"  
  
Sure enough, there it was – a familiar hand, holding out a bough of mistletoe."  
  
"Blaise!" They turned.  
  
"What?" He asked, all innocence. "Can I see your picture? It must be... interesting to say the least."  
  
Kit sighed. "You know, if you weren't you, you'd be incredibly easy to hate. Where's Angea?" She added after a cursory glance.  
  
"Angea? Uh," His face took on a sheepish look. "She – went to, um, cool down a bit."  
  
"'Cool down'?"  
  
"About this." Draco elaborated with a smirk. He held out another photo, this one of Blaise and, Kit assumed, Angea.  
  
But after a closer look, she noticed three extra... accessories, hanging around his neck, arm, and one on his lap, with Angea standing behind him, arms crossed, ready to spit fire.  
  
Kit stared at it for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Smooth, Blaise," She giggled once she could speak, wiping a tear from her eye, "Very smooth. Make your date jealous of your picture."  
  
"Hey," he protested, "I would not do that in real life! And it's not like I can control that mini of me in there! He's just doing whatever he wants!"  
  
"Kind of like our in the flesh Zabini, huh?" Kit teased.  
  
He glared at her in response. "You're no help." He grumbled.  
  
She shrugged. "Hey, what can I say? It's the truth."  
  
"Veritas. Who knows truth?"  
  
_________________________~__________________________  
  
"Hey! Kit, over here!" Four girls had abandoned their dates to seat themselves at an empty table and now took the time to flag her down.  
  
"C'mon, pull up a chair!"  
  
The table's occupants consisted of Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, two girls she was just getting to know, Hermione, who she'd been talking to more, and Ginny and Hannah.  
  
Sitting between the two latter, she felt completely comfortable.  
  
"Hey – What's up – It's been a while – Love that dress! – Hello!"  
  
Greetings flew toward her.  
  
"So," She began once she'd gone around the circle, "What's up?"  
  
"Well," Parvati and Lavender exchanged glances, "We were wondering – "  
  
"– what you did to make Draco Malfoy – "  
  
"– already a dreamboat – "  
  
"– into such a princely looking – guy!" One of the two finished.  
  
Ginny sighed. "I already told them what you said, but the want to hear it themselves or something."  
  
Kit rolled her eyes and proceeded to repeat all that she had said to Ginny earlier in the corridor.  
  
Parvati sighed. "Sounds normal enough."  
  
"Yeah," Hannah cut in, "but still abnormal enough to do *that*."  
  
Lavender giggled. "He's definitely about to move up in the ranks of Hogwarts Hotties. If he continues to stick around girls like Kit, in any case."  
  
"By the way, that dress is gorgeous!"  
  
"Yea," Kits agreed as she shifted, "but nothing short of horrendous to wear. I have a corset with it." She confided.  
  
There was a collective hiss of sympathy from the girls at the table.  
  
"But you know," Parvati began critically, "it may be the reason you're turning so many more heads tonight."  
  
"So true," Lavender added, "I mean, you're showing so much... more, than usual."  
  
"What?!" Kit yelped. She had all but forgotten the dangerous neckline of her dress. "Please tell me it's not as bad as all that." She pleaded with a moan.  
  
"It's not," Hannah reassured hurridly, "It's just that, no offense, but your weekend wardrobe makes most forget you have anything. I mean, just look at all the male eyes at this table because of your shining presence!" She added with a wicked grin. "Yours and Ginny's, anyway. And Hermione's. Us three," She waved to include Parvati and Lavender, "have already bemoaned our wretched state."  
  
Obligingly, the girls gave the room a cursory glance.  
  
"Ohmigosh." Hermione started softly. "Ohmigosh. Oh – my. You guys!" She hissed, "You guys, that's Quentin Ridge staring over at us!"  
  
The whole table shook as the other three jumped to attention.  
  
"Oh please let his eyes land on me..." Parvati moaned.  
  
"Oh – no way! You're right! Kit, that's QUENTIN RIDGE checking you out!!! No – Way!!!" Lavender let out a squeal. "I can't believe this! He is *so* breathtaking, he never looks at ANYone below his year!"  
  
Kit winced as Parvati let out another squeal.  
  
"Um, that's great – but who's Quentin Ridge?"  
  
The occupants of the table gaped at her.  
  
"I forgot how new you are." Hannah said faintly.  
  
"Not to know Quentin Ridge..." Parvati breathed with a shudder.  
  
"Quentin Ridge has made all-star level for Chaser, is Head boy, is Top of his class –" – this coming from Hermione –  
  
"– was secretly voted Hottest at Hogwarts –" Parvati butted in only to be interrupted by Lavender –  
  
"- *is* Hottest at Hogwarts, followed by Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom, amazingly enough, Blaise Zabini and the Twins, who left prematurely, earned twelve O.W.L. 's two years back, is the most sought after heartthrob in Hogwarts – "  
  
"- was best dueller in the dueling club, which started and ended second year, is, obviously, the most gorgeous guy ever to enter Hogwarts, and is now boring holes into *you*." Hermione finished.  
  
"He is not." Kit replied automatically.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "How would you know, you haven't even looked!"  
  
"Okay, he's watching you with bugging baby blue eyes..." Lavender sighed.  
  
"No!"  
  
"Staring at you starry eyed?"  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Admiring the scenery?"  
  
"Staring?"  
  
"Gazing?"  
  
Kit groaned. "It was probably just a cursory glance; what you all just said describes what you guys are doing!"  
  
"Oh, oh he's looking back!" The four girls squealed again.  
  
Kit stared at them. "Are – are you girls feeling all right?"  
  
Hermione flushed. "Oh come on," She said impatiently, "Just because you've found the man of your dreams already doesn't mean that you're exempt from the – the laws of emotions! Especially on cute guys," She added, ignoring Kit's protests, "And trust me, Quentin Ridge far exceeds the limits of 'cute'." She finished with a mischievous grin.  
  
"He's *so* handsome." Parvati sighed.  
  
"Beautiful." Seconded Lavender.  
  
"Gorgeous." Ginny added.  
  
The other three nodded.  
  
"Yeah, that word about sums him up." Hannah said with a sigh. "There are too few gorgeous guys in the world and the only one in our region is making eyes at Kit."  
  
Kit nudged with an indignant cry. "Shove it!"  
  
Ginny chuckled. "It's true, you know. This is probably the first time he's laid eyes on you – a sixth year undecided – and you've shocked him."  
  
"Oh come on!" Kit groaned. "Look at me! I'm completely normal! I mean, all of you have said that I am completely... completely unremarkable on everyday days! I've probably run into him before and he, like everyone I've met so far, is just shocked at the extent of Blaise Zabini's extraordinary makeover talent."  
  
"Uh huh. Yeah, sure." Ginny replied evasively. "Whatever you say."  
  
Kit groaned. "At least point out this object of debate."  
  
Grinning, Ginny cocked her head left, indicating a boy about 5 tables over.  
  
Reluctantly, Kit looked over. Sure enough, the boy's slate blue eyes flicked over to her table to look her over – and so thoroughly, Kit could feel her cheeks warm. They stopped at her eyes and locked.  
  
For a moment, his smile wavered; it seemed he had stopped talking midsentence, for a friend leaned over and shook him, breaking their eye contact.  
  
Kit turned stiffly back to her table, smile gone.  
  
"He's cute." She said shortly.  
  
Lavender gaped at her. "Cute? That's all you can say? Kit, we are talking about the HOTTEST guy in our vicinity, a – a god on earth! And all you can say is he's CUTE?!" She spluttered wildly.  
  
Kit shrugged. "Okay, he looks great, amazing, a perfect image. Is that okay?"  
  
"Jeez, you don't have to sound so enthusiastic." Parvati said sarcastically.  
  
"Look, I just think he's a bit of a jerk." She shrugged. "That's all."  
  
Lavender rolled her eyes. "Well, yeah, if somebody's already that fine, he's got to have some flaw or other, or else he'd scare everybody away. Being that great, he deserves a bit of jerkiness." Suddenly her eyes narrowed. "Wait a sec. How would YOU know what he's like, anyway? Miss- who's-Quentin-Ridge-the-god-boy?"  
  
Kit shifted. "I – had a run in with him a couple weeks ago. Listen, I've got to go find Draco, we're missing all the music."  
  
The girls started. She was right; the band had started up and couples were just now gathering the courage to approach the dance floor.  
  
"She's right you guys," Ginny stood with her, "I'd better go find Harry before he hides somewhere."  
  
The other girls departed as well, not bothering to glance back as the object of their debate reached their former table.  
  
___________________~_______________________  
  
Hello! I know it's been a bit of a while, so I apologize; I've been in D.C. and I don't have a laptop!!!!!! ( :(  
  
Anyway, that's why this is so late. As an additional apology, I've made this chapter, I think, a bit longer than usual. It's twelve pages in Microsoft Word, in any case.  
  
Oh, by the way, does anyone know how to make italics show up? I'd be forever grateful if someone showed me how; email me!!!  
  
Okay, that's about all, and I hope you liked it! If you did, review, if you didn't, review (or flame, I really don't care).  
  
Thanx to:  
  
~Glass Dragon~ Yep. That's how it will – hopefully – work out. I, unfortunately, haven't seen ANY trailers for the third movie with him in it, so hot or not *sniff* *sniff* I don't know... I'll take your word for it! ^_^  
  
~Escaped~ Thank you for reading! I'm so glad you like my story; I'm sorry I've fallen behind in reading yours! I hope I can keep his character true – that will probably be the hardest part – not making him into a teddy bear! Okay, to those who actually stick around to read my thanx to reviewers, I've got to tell you, Escaped has an amazing story – well, two - if you're into the Malfoys, Severus Snape, and the whole darker side of the wizarding world. Even if you're not, you will be once you start!  
  
~MutalatedTurtle~ Yea! Thank you for giving him the chance. An acquaintance is better than nothing, and I hope he won't become... mediocre while I inch up to his starring role... heheh... a bit of foreshadowing there...  
  
~Greek Witch~ Fun just about sums it up, once I get down to it. ^_^ The Harry-Ginny thing is explained here once I realized I had that no-same- house rule in play... not too weird, I hope. ^_^ 


	21. The Yule Ball pt 4: Dancing on Air

All regular disclaimers apply.  
  
WARNING: This chapter is a bit of a songfic section, and kinda fluffy, so if you don't want to see a VERY out-of-character Draco, feel free to skip this chapter. Everything will still make sense; I just shoved this one in here for the heck of it.  
  
Chapter Twenty One:: The Yule Ball pt. 4: Dancing on Air  
  
_________________________~___________________________  
  
"Hey."  
  
Draco turned to the voice at his elbow. He was standing in the shadows of the hall, looking on as the couples and friends gathered to talk, laugh and dance.  
  
A brief grin lit on his face. "Hey." He replied softly.  
  
He still hadn't gotten over his awe of Kit's appearance that night. In the shadows, with the light flickering over her face, she looked even more ethereal than earlier.  
  
The band had struck up a slow song, and Draco glanced over to the floor, clearing his throat.  
  
"Would you – do you want to dance?" He asked abruptly.  
  
Kit looked up at him in surprise. Opening her mouth to tease him about him not seeming to be the dancing type, she changed her mind and replied, "I'd love to."  
  
______________~_________________  
  
Barefoot (so Kit wouldn't re-break her shoe, and so Draco in turn wouldn't break her toes), the two stepped lightly upon the grassy dance floor, now a garden under the open night sky.  
  
"This is so beautiful." Kit breathed.  
  
Draco resisted the urge to compare it to the gardens at his family's manor, instead remaining silent.  
  
Hesitantly, Kit placed one hand on Draco's shoulder, her other one caught up by his. Slowly, the two began to sway gently back and forth, then Draco began to lead, eyes locked on hers.  
  
1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3... slowly, gracefully, the counts began to run into each other and lift them up. Instead of dancing, they were floating, bare feet dancing on air.  
  
Silver eyes connected with silver.  
  
Locked in an endless, magical waltz, neither noticed a thing, and neither wondered why. All thoughts seemed to gone. There was no reason to think of anything just yet; the world would come back soon enough.  
  
"I've always dreamed of my first dance like this." The murmur floated to his ears as they continued to move. "My uncle and I used to dance to a song like this... he'd hold me and spin..." She continued dreamily. "I used to always dance with an invisible partner when I heard a slow song... nothing felt so perfect as now..."  
  
The announcer's voice came gently to penetrate their consciousness.  
  
"As Christmas is a time for family, we're playing this special song for all of you... remember your loved ones as you dance."  
  
Back when I was a child, before life removed all the innocence My father would lift me high and dance with my mother and me and then Spin me around 'til I fell asleep Then up the stairs he would carry me And I knew for sure I was loved  
  
If I could get another chance, another walk, another dance with him I'd play a song that would never, ever end How I'd love, love, love To dance with my father again  
  
A single tear traced down her cheek as she rested her head against his chest.  
  
Gently, he brought his hand in – the one holding her own – and tilted her chin up. His thumb brushed across her cheek, dispelling the teardrop.  
  
He smiled. "Look down." He said softly.  
  
They were dancing on air, in the very literal sense.  
  
There was no gasp, no shock on her face.  
  
Softly, he began to sing along with the last refrain of the song.  
  
...If I could steal one final glance, one final step, one final dance with you I'd play a song that would never, ever end 'Cause I'd love, love, love To dance with you again...  
  
...Every night I fall asleep and this is all I ever dream  
  
A small smile. Her head on his chest. Their uninterrupted dance.  
  
___________________________~_________________________  
  
Hey! This is the final installment of the Yule Ball, and, I know, this is very fluffy and it seemingly is out of character, BUT I've been dying to do this, so THERE. ^_^_^_^_^_^_^___^_^__^_^_^_^_^ 


	22. What a Surprise

Chapter Twenty Two:: What a Surprise  
  
Later, when the two walked off the dance floor, Draco finally asked where Kit was spending Christmas.  
  
"I'm going home with you."  
  
As soon as the words left her mouth she winced. Could I be anymore abrupt? She wondered.  
  
Glancing up, she found him staring at her.  
  
"Wh- what?"  
  
Blaise, with his usual impeccable timing, came charging up to them right then.  
  
"I just heard! This is so unfair!" He complained loudly.  
  
Kit, although thankful for his interruption, was nonplussed. "What is?"  
  
"This!" He said plaintively, "Dumbledore setting you up to go to Draco's house while I have to stay here over the holidays, alone and lonely, only dreaming of the fun you two will be having!"  
  
He heaved a sigh and sniffed.  
  
"Aw Blaise, it's only a week." Kit comforted. "Besides, do you really want us around while Angea's... visiting? You did know she was staying the holidays as well, didn't you?" She added with a grin.  
  
This news caused Blaise to perk up considerably, seeing as the two had made up.  
  
"Oh. Well, I guess the week won't be too terrible in that case."  
  
Kit giggled at his sudden change of view.  
  
"You're wonderful, you know that Blaise?"  
  
"Of course I do," He replied arrogantly, "but now that you've finally noticed, are you ready to profess your undying love to me?"  
  
"Whoa, what happened to Angea?" She said with a laugh.  
  
"Hey, why can't I take after my photo image?" He waggled his eyebrows.  
  
About to nudge him, she thought twice, instead leaning over to kiss his cheek instead.  
  
"Will that suffice?" She asked sweetly.  
  
"Not as long as other shows of affection might." He replied with a wicked grin.  
  
Kit couldn't help but laugh as she reached over to hug him.  
  
"I guess I'll see you guys in a week..." He sighed reluctantly.  
  
They had reached the entrance doors of Hogwarts. Outside, the snow was falling softly.  
  
"Looks like it'll be a white Christmas." She murmured.  
  
Blaise cleared his throat. "Uh – when you get back, look in your kitchen, 'kay? I've got my Christmas gift for you in there."  
  
She looked up at him. "Thank you Blaise. That's really sweet! It's also quite a coincidence, as my gift to you happens to be in there as well." She grinned. "Look in the oven once you get back."  
  
His face brightened. "Okay! Happy Christmas, you guys."  
  
As he left, Harry came up to them. Needless to say, he didn't look too happy.  
  
"H- hi, Harry." Kit started nervously. Suddenly, she straightened. She shouldn't be nervous. She wasn't doing anything wrong. Well, maybe she should've told him, but still.  
  
Wordlessly, he came up to her and handed her her cloak.  
  
"I – I guess Ginny told you which family I'm staying with, huh?"  
  
Instead of answering, he turned to glare at Draco. For a moment, the latter returned the glare before sighing and moving away.  
  
"Why did you agree to stay with the Malfoy family?" Harry rounded on her.  
  
"Wh- what are you talking about?" She asked in surprise. "It was Dumbledore who put me up with them! If he didn't trust them, why would he allow me to stay with them?" She demanded before answering herself. "He wouldn't."  
  
Harry didn't say anything.  
  
"Come on, Harry," She persisted, "The reason I didn't tell you was because I knew you'd get like this. Everything will be fine!"  
  
"Like you know that." He replied shortly. After a moment, he sighed. "Will you promise to be careful?"  
  
Kit grinned up at him. "What, don't you trust me?"  
  
"I trust you perfectly. It's him I don't care for." He jerked his head to where Draco was standing, arms crossed, a stony expression on his face.  
  
Kit's grin turned into a smile. "Don't worry." She said softly.  
  
"I think that's going to be impossible." He said with a frown. Slowly, his frown disappeared and his cheeks tinged pink.  
  
"Um – this is for you." He said, handing her a tiny velvet bag.  
  
Hesitantly, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.  
  
"Happy Christmas, Kit."  
  
A warm smile spread across her face. "Thank you Harry. I'll open it on the train. I've got something for you, too," She said as she reached into the pocket of her dress, pulling out a small, tissue wrapped object. "Happy Christmas."  
  
It was a copy of 'High Flying: A Guide to the Most Famous Plays the Wizarding World has Ever Seen' – by Ai R. Head, along with the official notice of her newly assumed position of Advisor to the Hogwart's Quidditch Teams.  
  
Quickly, she hugged him one last time before turning and heading toward the doors.  
  
About to follow, Draco stopped as he heard Harry's voice behind him.  
  
"I swear Malfoy, if you try anything..."  
  
A smirk was his only response to the passing threat.  
  
But, even though it did seem to Harry that, incredible as it may seem, Draco Malfoy might have actually found something worthy of his care, he couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy as he watched the two walked off in the falling snow.  
  
A large part of his mind wouldn't let him forget that this was Draco Malfoy, heir of everything evil, even if his father was in Azkaban... and he was letting Kit walk off with him for a week.  
  
He shuddered.  
  
Knowing she could take care of herself wasn't much when she was walking right next to a pretty looking devil.  
  
"So... are we taking the train?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Kit looked up at her strangely silent friend, silhouetted by the foggy glow of moonlight. Once again, she couldn't help but marvel at his appearance; he looked so... regal. So majestic. Almost perfect.  
  
Unwittingly, she let out a sigh, drawing the descripted's attention. For a moment, their eyes locked.  
  
"What?" He asked softly.  
  
Kit gave a shrug and smiled. "Nothing."  
  
The two lapsed into silence again.  
  
Suddenly, a gust of wind sent the snowflakes flurrying into a mini blizzard and Kit at the mercy of her skirt.  
  
Almost laughing, Draco watched as her long, full skirt blossomed out, acting as wings and pulling her along with the whims of the wind.  
  
"Just sit down!" He called to the girl now five yards away, when two seconds ago she had been at his side.  
  
"W- what! Do you know how c- cold snow is?" She called back, teeth chattering in the biting wind.  
  
"It's either that or we'll never get to the train – or maybe you could just fly there!"  
  
"Or – or m-maybe you c-could actu-tually do s-something!"  
  
With a long suffering sigh, he tromped through the miniature snow drifts to where Kit was valiantly battling the wind while trying to hold her skirts down at her sides, to keep them from acting as sails.  
  
Coming up behind her, he scooped her up and started carrying her back toward the walkway.  
  
"W-wait! I dr-dropped H-Harry's p- present!"  
  
Rolling his eyes, Draco turned back and began scanning the snow for her gift. There it was – a little red peeked from one of the drifts. Setting Kit down while keeping hold of one of her hands, he leant down to get it – and slipped, pulling her down with him.  
  
Gasping, he shot up and tried to rid himself of the cold snow slithering down his back.  
  
"T-too – c-cold..." He gasped, writhing. Now that the snow inside his shirt had melted, he was left with an icy liquid covering his back.  
  
"L-let's g-go..."  
  
"Oh, I've h-had it!" Kit suddenly pulled out her wand and called, "Inferno!"  
  
Under natural circumstances, the spell would cause a thin line of fire to shoot out of the wand, the width of it depending on the wizard's wish.  
  
But under the snow and wind, a jet of heat shot out the wand and spread to cover the area in front of the two, melting the snow and leaving a warm path to follow.  
  
"C'mon." Kit said through gritted teeth. They still wanted to chatter.  
  
"W-why didn't you d-do that in the f-first place?!" Draco exclaimed as the forged their way towards the train station.  
  
"If you didn't notice, it wasn't til then that the wind picked up and became bitingly cold." She reminded him. "Though it's stopped now."  
  
Sure enough, the wind had left, leaving in its wake only soft full flakes once again.  
  
Kit pocketed her wand and glanced around as the two walked on. Students were trickling out of the castle by three's and four's, exchanging their gifts and boarding the train, some staying together until reaching Platform 9 and ¾.  
  
"I guess we'd better hurry if we want to find an empty compartment." Draco murmured, scanning the crowd.  
  
Kit watched him for a moment. "Who are you looking for?"  
  
"Huh?" Startled, his gaze returned to Kit. "I – oh. Nobody. Just – automatic reaction, I guess. Let's go."  
  
Nonplussed, Kit followed him onto the train as he peered into the windows of compartments until they found an empty one.  
  
Just as they sat down, Draco stretching out his legs on one seat, her mirroring him on the other, the clock struck midnight.  
  
A cheer could be heard winding out of the Great Hall as Christmas Day arrived for its occupants; the students on the Hogwarts Express cheered too, though they'd have to wait a few hours before they could enjoy their Christmas.  
  
Kit smiled faintly at her boarding partner. "Happy Christmas, Draco."  
  
Her hand dived once again into her dress pocket and produced a small object wrapped in tissue paper.  
  
"I didn't have time to get a box for it," She said as she reached over to hand it to him, "and I know that it's kind of a weird gift for a guy, but – I saw it and you were the thing it brought to mind."  
  
Unfolding the tissue paper, Draco found a thin, white gold chain interspersed with silver in the shape of a dragon. It even had feet spaced out along the chain, the head being the clasp swallowing the tale. The silver sections shimmered like scales.  
  
"It's a bracelet." She shrugged. "Like I said, it's kind of weird – but it fits, doesn't it?"  
  
Draco glanced up briefly and grinned. "Yeah. I don't think it's all that weird, anyway. Wonderfully crafted, too..." He commented as he watched it slither around his arm and back down to his wrist, the white diamond eyes glinting up at him.  
  
Suddenly, he cleared his throat and reached into his hat. "I – I have something for you, too."  
  
He handed her a pale blue box tied with silver ribbon.  
  
Grinning, Kit untied the bow and lifted the lid. "Knowing you, it's bound to be... something..."  
  
Her voice trailed off as she looked into the box. Cushioned in the mother- of-pearl lining was another box, this one as big as her thumb and clear. Inside was a whirl of something, almost like he had trapped a storm of color inside. It flashed and whipped, twirling like a dustcloud.  
  
"What – what is it?" She breathed.  
  
"At home, over summer break, my mother taught me to isolate and solidify the essence of someone." He answered. "This – this is you. I have one, too." He said and brought a tiny box of his own, this one filled with a blue and silver cloud. He cleared his throat. "This is me. When I was little, I used to be blue and yellow. Last year, and the year before that, I was black and red. At the end of last year, though, the red disappeared and turned silver." Draco glanced up at her again. "It wasn't until recently that I got the blue back again."  
  
Thoroughly entranced, Kit leaned closer to compare his to hers, a little frown hovering between her eyes.  
  
"I don't get it." She said. "Why is mine so many different colors and yours only two?" She queried.  
  
Draco sat back again. "I'm not exactly sure, but it might have something to do with your eyes."  
  
Impulsively, Kit reached a hand to her face.  
  
"Why do they do that, anyway?" Draco asked curiously. It had always been a subject of extreme intrigue, but he had never figured out a way to bring it up without seeming nosy.  
  
"I – I'm not sure." Kit replied, avoiding his gaze.  
  
"Did either of your parents have eyes like that?" He persisted.  
  
"My mother." She answered shortly.  
  
"What about before that?" Technically, this question would be considered prying, but the words popped out of his mouth before he could check them.  
  
Nice going, he thought as he watched Kit's face stiffen. Perhaps Blaise's bluntness was rubbing off on him, he mused. The thought was accompanied by an involuntary shudder. Anything but that.  
  
"I – I don't know."  
  
A stiff silence fell between the two as Draco tried to remember what he was going to say before the question of her eyes had come up.  
  
"The odd thing," He started softly, "is that if a person switches their essence with another, it will form a bond between them. My mother has part of me, so I know – I know when she's having a nightmare. I can go into her dream then and wake her." He snorted softly. "The funny thing is," he continued in a whisper, "she used to do that exact thing for me."  
  
Draco glanced up at Kit. She had a faraway look in her eyes and Draco wondered what she was thinking of.  
  
He cleared his throat. "Would – would you mind – holding onto this?" He held out his silver and blue swirl.  
  
Kit looked up at him and smiled. "It would be my pleasure." She replied softly. "But only if you do the same for me."  
  
A small smile lit on his face as he took the tiny box presented to him and exchanged it with his own.  
  
"It would be my pleasure." He repeated.  
  
A sudden glint came into her eye. "Could you transfer this to another object?" She demanded.  
  
"What?" Draco asked confusedly.  
  
Kit's cheeks warmed. "What I mean is, Harry gave me a locket. I gave you the bracelet. The dragon's head opens, you see, to act as a locket as well. If we moved our essences into those, we wouldn't have to worry about losing them – and that way," her ears were burning, she just knew it, "we - we could always be close. Um." Kit chanced a look up. "What do you think?"  
  
For a moment, Draco seemed lost in thought before a smirk worked its way across his face. "I'd be joined with Potter's gift. How ironic..."  
  
"Then you'll do it?"  
  
He shrugged. "I don't see why not. It's practical, and I could do it right now, if you want. Besides," he continued, "I like the thought of being... closer."  
  
Kit laughed. "Draco, I'm surprised at you! You're starting to sound like Blaise!"  
  
He shuddered and murmured. "Heaven forbid..."  
  
She began to laugh again, but was cut off halfway by an rebellious yawn.  
  
Draco sat up, eyes twinkling. "What? Don't tell me you're tired already?" He asked through barely suppressed laughter.  
  
Kit tried to glare at him, but ended up shutting her eyes for another yawn. "H- hey, it's from the stress o- of it all." Two yawns accompanied that sentence.  
  
"Yeah." Draco smirked. "Maybe you should close those little, heavy lidded eyes of yours so you can get your sleep, youngling."  
  
Her traitorous eyelids were all too quick to obey and shut, barely leaving her time to murmur, "D- don't call me... that... Remmy..."  
  
Sleep claimed her.  
  
Draco frowned uncertainly at her sentence. Did he hear right? Had she called him 'Remmy'? Who was that?  
  
With a sigh, he shrugged and marked it off as another mystery of Kit, the girl with no surname. He didn't have any business prying into her life; he had enough secrets to know to honor hers.  
  
For a moment, he watched her sleeping form, sprawled across the seat opposite him, smirking at the ironic contrast of her 19th century dress and the fact that she let her legs show. His gaze traveled down to the little velvet pouch she still clutched and remembered the necklace she had mentioned.  
  
He might as well spell it now.  
  
After he was done, he gingerly clasped the locket around her neck, praying not to wake her as he moved her hair out of the way. He didn't.  
  
Once that was finished, he leant back in his seat, fiddling with the bracelet she had given him and thinking. On what, his face didn't tell. But slowly, he too drifted off into slumber.

* * *

Regular disclaimers apply... I love my character! (and Draco)  
  
Hey! I guess I scared some peeps by not giving any notice that I'd be gone for a week, so I'm sorry about that... I'll give you guys notice if I'm about to leave again, 'kay?  
  
But, I have great news! Two of my newer reviewers have figured out that 'Asudem' is 'Medusa' AND let me know that they have! YEA!  
  
GO YOU!  
  
They are... drumroll please...  
  
Rae-Lynn Potter and angel pixy faerie  
  
GO YOU!  
  
P.S.: to angel pixy faerie, don't worry, we'll see more of Harry socializing with our girl.   
  
anyway, thanks to my reviewers again!! You guys completely and totally ROCK! Infinitely so.  
  
They are:  
  
pokenerd56 chyeah, I know that, but Hp is fantasy, and I'm a fantasy girl, soo... it all adds up. You're right about the first chapters, the grammar and spelling in them ARE pretty bad... I think I'll go repost them... someday...   
  
SiriusLives001 (the writer formerly known as greekwitch) I'll spill a little... he will be, in spirit, featured a bit – no, not ghosts, that'd just be dumb, it doesn't hold with the rest of the story... but... okay, shutting up now or I'll give too much away! Be patient! Oh, and I'm glad you don't mind the fluffiness – that was the most random thing I've done for a while, so I wasn't sure (note the warning)  
  
MutalatedTurtle sigh Unfortunately, I'm not sure, as I haven't seen A SINGLE TRAILER for the stupid movie yet. grr... And did you note the warning? Beginning of chapter 21, DID YOU NOTE THE WARNING?? haha oh well, you sound shocked enough – verge of retching kind of shock, albeit, but I DID warn you! haha  
  
Dark Lullaby I love your name! Now that's done, onto your review. I hadn't really thought about that when I wrote the chapter... the whole dungeon classroom thing kinda slipped my mind. grimace Something that a writer should always be wary of... sorry! As to the Sorting Hat, I just wanted to do it, so I did. shrug That's about it. Others have done things far worse to the World of Harry Potter... I shudder to think of some... shudder See?  
  
Glass Dragon Aw, thanks for worrying about me! Anyway, like I said, I'll let you guys know next time I leave or won't be posting for a while, kay? You reader/reviewers are great! sniff  
  
sad-soulz haha I will  
  
Briar Rose1 I'm glad you like Kit. She's a blend of previous characters who never made the final cut. I think this might take a while to finish, though, so you'll have to bear with me to find out all that'll happen.  
  
mistik-elf13 Thank you! I've been trying for a regular update date, but it's been hard... so bear with me! And keep reading!!   
  
Axisha Cool name! But, like I say below, I DID give you fair warning... but I'm glad you still like my story! I probably should have put this down earlier, the song is 'Dance With My Father' by Luther Vandross, so I don't own it and this is my belated disclaimer... so don't sue me!   
  
Escaped I'm glad to be back! Also, what's the point of reading a good story if you never tell anyone else about it? heehee I'm glad to know I'm not alone on the Cho issue... she just really ticks me off sometimes, she's so annoying! Ugh! I just had to do that one extra long, as a makeup to all those I'd depressed... also, it had been three chapters at one point, but I accidently started to write up the second chapter on the first one and didn't realize my mistake until after I had fixed it to go with the first one as one entity... if that makes sense. Of course, I could have just cut and pasted. shrug That's me for you. Lastly, I am so glad to find out that someone doesn't mind the fluffy songfic OCC issue of chapter twenty one! Yea!   
  
By the way, I know that some people have been shocked by the songfic chapter, so some hate it and some love it – but to those who hated it, let me remind you, I did give you fair warning... Maybe I should add a READ AT YOUR OWN RISK the next time I do that. If I do. haha  
  
Just in general, the weird thing about writing this is that I've got 22 chapters already and it feels like barely a thing! I hope it won't be another 'Gone with the Wind' (have you seen how thick that is?) but I hope I'll have enough stuff to finish it!  
  
I just want to say thank you for staying with me this far and reviewing! What you say, positive or not, really helps me to get my bearings and figure out what to do next. It's really great to know that you guys really want to find out what comes next!  
  
Thanks so much!  
  
Onto Chapter Twenty Three! 


	23. Departure

Chapter Twenty Three:: Departure  
  
A while later, Draco opened his eyes at a noise outside their compartment.  
  
Quietly, he stood up, wand drawn, and stepped closer to Kit. Now that his father was in Azkaban, it didn't really matter who he was; all his connections were either dead or with his dad.  
  
Leaning close to the door, he could just make out the voices.  
  
"Are you sure that little punk is in there? Alone?"  
  
"Hey, I saw him board, okay? I saw him come to this compartment with a pretty girl and close the door... so you might want to be careful, if you don't want to see too much."  
  
"Hey, you said she was pretty, why should I worry?"  
  
"I was talking about Malfoy."  
  
There was a snort from the other side of the door, and slowly, it began to open.  
  
Quickly, Draco rammed against the wall, the bang startling the people on the other side.  
  
"What?! What would they be doing still awake?" One of the voices squawked.  
  
"Shh! What do you think? Now let's get going, before they hear us."  
  
"But what about –"  
  
"Shut up, you two." Another voice had joined the first ones. "I wouldn't wonder if they woke to your noise and are picking up where they left off."  
  
Draco winced.  
  
"Let's leave the brats alone for now. It's not like we'll never have another chance at them."  
  
He frowned. The new voice... he didn't like it. It was too familiar – and yet, he couldn't place it.  
  
Suddenly, he realized the trio were retreating and darted out into the hall to see if he could figure out who they were.  
  
The hall was empty.  
  
Draco returned to his seat, uneasy. He didn't feel like sleeping anymore.

* * *

Three hours later, Kit awoke with a start to the announcement that the train would be boarding soon; _please assemble your belongings and prepare to exit the train. Thank you for riding the Hogwarts Express.  
_  
Rubbing at her eyes, she peered over at the other seat where Draco sat, scowling.  
  
"G- good morning, Draco." She said with a yawn.  
  
"Took you long enough to wake." He retorted peevishly.  
  
"My, my, aren't we a little angel in the morning." She replied sleepily, "I'd hate to wake up next to you in the morning."  
  
"Yeah, well, all play and little sleep makes your little Draco crabby in the morning." He replied irritably.  
  
Kit raised her eyebrows. "What? Did I snore? Do I breathe too loud? Could you hear me drooling?" She wiped the side of her mouth and winced in disgust. "Must've been the latter."  
  
Giving a snort, he handed her a handkerchief. "It wasn't your fault." He conceded reluctantly.  
  
She glanced at him questioningly. "Then why –"  
  
_"We have reached Platform 9 and ¾. Thank you for riding the Hogwarts Express. Please exit the train on your left. Thank You."_  
  
"C'mon." Draco stood, replacing his cloak with a swirl. "My mother will be waiting."  
  
Kit stood and straightened her skirt and cloak (which she had used as a pillow) as best she could and sighed. They were hopelessly wrinkled.  
  
Rolling his eyes, Draco pointed his wand at her skirt and gave a wave. Bye bye, wrinkles and water – well, drool – spots.  
  
Kit looked up at him gratefully again. "Thank you, Draco."  
  
Nodding shortly, he turned and headed off the train, levitating their luggage and leaving Kit to trail behind him, wondering at his sullen mood; shrugging, she decided to pass it off as nerves. After all, this was his mother; what if she assumed they were together? That would be so awkward... wouldn't it? Her stomach did a little jig again. _Stop that,_ She told herself. _I mean, it would embarrass Draco..._ _wouldn't it?_ Shivering at the thoughts hedging at the edge of her mind, thoughts she had never even consciously considered before, she hurried to catch up with him.  
  
The two teenagers stood side by side, luggage floating behind them.  
  
Kit chanced a glance up at her crabby friend who looked stonily out at the sea of people crowding around and up against the two, none of them heading directly toward them.  
  
"She _couldn't've_ forgot again." She thought she heard him hiss.  
  
Just then, a tall, looming shadow fell over him. A hand landed on one shoulder, and a black, silver-topped cane landed on the other.  
  
"Hello, son."

* * *

**Hey, very short chapter, I know, but this gives you a bit of time to reflect... wonder... and scream. Just guess who it is! Go on! Guess! listens for a moment to horrified speculations But guess what else? You'll have to wait til the next chapter to know for sure! BWAHAHAHAHA  
**  
Thank you, my wonderful, faithful, dear dear readers! And even moreso to those who review!  
  
They are:  
  
**SiriusLives001** Yeah, I'm glad you're excited; I am too, as I've already written it... but it's going to be a while until he actually comes into play (in his own, influential, spiritual way). So... patience is key! thank you for reading thus far with me!  
  
**MutalatedTurtle** I've gotten more than one comment on her eyes, and they'll be explained... actually, it'll be in the same chapter that SiriusLives001 wants to read!  
  
**Glass Dragon** _claps hands in delight_ That was so funny! Do you know, I was actually considering that in the early – very early – stages of my story? haha complete hilarity! I loved it! 


	24. Malfoy Manor

Chapter Twenty Four:: Malfoy Manor  
  
"Hello, son."  
  
Draco tensed almost imperceptibly, but apparently the man felt it.  
  
"Now, now, Draco, if I wanted to kill you, you would have been dead by now. What have you been doing in my absence?"  
  
Kit whirled around to face the speaker and couldn't help the gasp that escaped her. It was a grown up version of Draco; same cheekbones, same chin – his hair was longer, but he still had the same type of silverlocks as Draco. The most amazing similarity was their eyes; the senior Malfoy's was a shade darker – but otherwise, they were identical. Especially the background to them. Their eyes both held that cool, appraising feeling to them – moreso now than ever, as she watched him watch her.  
  
Finally, he spoke again, addressing his son though his eyes remained on her. "And who might this be?" He drawled. "Surely not one of yours, Draco."  
  
His eyes darted momentarily to take in his son's short nod. "Well. I daresay, she's more... exquisite, than usual."  
  
Suddenly, he smiled. It was... million dollar, dazzling, flooring, beautiful, amazing – all would be understatements. It was positively charming.  
  
Kit actually felt her heart skip a beat.  
  
"Forgive me," he murmured, "I don't know where my manners have gone. Lucius Malfoy."  
  
Kit took his outstretched hand and wasn't surprised when he lifted it to brush his lips.  
  
Inwardly, she groaned at what she knew to come next.  
  
"It – it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Malfoy." She replied.  
  
He paused, one fair eyebrow raised slightly.  
  
Silence.  
  
Finally, he said, "Well, with one as lovely as you, I would expect a few more manners to accompany that pretty face."  
  
She glanced down, feeling her ears redden; never had she been so glad as to be wearing her hair down.  
  
"I – my name is... Kit." She murmured.  
  
He chuckled. "And what, pray tell," he queried, "kind of a name is that? It is a nickname," he said, answering himself, "and when introducing yourself, you are generally required to give your full name."  
  
He sounded as though he were instructing a small child, and Kit found herself wondering if he had recited this to a young Draco.  
  
Pulling herself out of her reverie, she looked down and, opening her mouth to reply, was cut off by a hand on her chin.  
  
Instinctively, she jerked back.  
  
Once again, those fair eyebrows rose to disappear under wind caressed hair, drawing her attention to eyes darker than Draco's by a depth.  
  
"Also," He continued softly, "You are usually required to look on in the eye, or risk flirting with the absence of politeness."  
  
"Which you did, when speaking as though I were property ready for an appraisal." Instantly, she cringed as the words flew unchecked from her mouth, cursing her habit for jumping at any and every opportunity to draw attention away from the seemingly simple, and yet often uncomfortable, issue of her name.  
  
Lucius Malfoy didn't flinch; she got the feeling he rarely did.  
  
"So I did." He responded. "But drawing attention to one's flaw is another aspect of rudeness."  
  
"Then what was it you just did?" Her hands flew to her mouth – too late. The words had left her lips in an automatic response, and she couldn't take them back, knowing she had crossed the line between response and insolence. "Oh I – I'm sorry, that was – completely uncalled for – I had no excuse to –"  
  
To her surprise, he held up a hand and she quieted.  
  
"Very good." He stated approvingly. "You're quick, to say the least. It seems that we both have forgotten a bit, and for that I apologize – but I believe we were on the subject of your name." He gazed at her steadily. "I would be most appreciative if I had that knowledge."  
  
Kit fought the immense urge to look away – not that she needed to; Lucius' gaze could pin and trap a fruit fly until he wished to release it.  
  
"I –" She swallowed. "I beg your pardon, sir. I myself don't have the – the privilege of knowing." Something about him made her want to be at her most respectful; she found herself wary of the consequences if she was anything less.  
  
"You mean to say you don't have a surname?"  
  
He took her silence as a 'yes'.  
  
"Ah." He studied her for a moment, his demeanor cooling slightly.  
  
"I'm not a bastard, if that's what you're thinking." She blurted.  
  
He blinked in response and asked, "Well then, will I have to discount the privilege of knowing your full first name as well?"  
  
"It –" Again, she stopped. It had been a long while since anyone refused to accept 'Kit' as her given name. "It's – Rowan." She said finally.  
  
Lucius smirked. "'Rowan'? Such a lovely name, lost behind such a derogatory three letter title like 'Kit'?"  
  
Her face lit up, fire engine red – something that rarely happened. "It – it comes from my middle name, Kaira."  
  
"Two beautiful names!" He exclaimed. "And you pass both of them up – for 'Kit'? I refuse to follow that particular custom. Whenever you are in my presence, I expect you to answer to Rowan or Kaira. 'Kit' is a name of the past."  
  
His eyes strayed to the enormous clock mounted on the platform. "Now," He continued briskly, "We must be off. Where are you staying for the holidays? I expect I'm to drop you off."  
  
"Father –" Draco finally spoke up, "Kit – Kaira – is staying the holidays with us. Our family." He glanced quickly at her and away. "Mother has the guest room in the East wing ready for her."  
  
Lucius' facial expression stayed the same, but his eyes couldn't grow colder. "Does she?" His gaze turned baleful as he sent a glance over to Kit. "And does she also happen to know this girl's family lineage? Is concealing a history of her bloodlines somewhere? Just because she claims to have been born in wedlock doesn't mean that she's anywhere close to the standards that one of our line must hold –"  
  
"Why must we hold them?" Draco interrupted smoothly. "For the sake of dignity? Honor? If you haven't noticed, those terms are nonexistence so far as to applying them to us."  
  
Lucius took a step back. Not as though he were stunned or shocked, but as though he were studying his son, appraising him with a similar look that he had given Kit.  
  
"What happened to all those lessons I tried to teach you?"  
  
"Maybe if you were around a bit more, they would have stuck longer."  
  
A gleam of something like pride flashed in the senior Malfoy's eyes. "You've changed." He said. "You're no longer as willing to follow. You've become a true Malfoy; a leader."  
  
Draco snorted. "It took you a year in Azkaban to realize that?"  
  
Once again, Lucius' eyes seemed to darken. "Perhaps not all change is for the best. Though you may be growing, you are never old enough to show disrespect to your father. Perhaps it is the company you keep that has made you forget that?"  
  
His eyes strayed back to Kit, standing by the floating luggage.  
  
Draco followed his gaze and his face sullened. "No father." He said. "The company I keep has no affect on me."  
  
"Or your role as a Malfoy?"  
  
If you watched closely, you could see the boy's jaw set. "No father." He replied steely, "nor my role as a Malfoy."  
  
"Good." Lucius turned and walked back to Kit, his smile dazzling again. "Pardon our interruption; we needed to have a... father son reunion, of sorts. Clearing up a few details. You understand."  
  
Kit smiled weakly in response. "Perfectly."  
  
Draco walked over to stand beside her, face stony. Looking up at him, she sighed once again. Couldn't Christmas, for once, be a happy occasion?

* * *

The long, sleek limousine made its way easily through muggle London.  
  
Lucius Malfoy had left the two to themselves, to settle some 'final arrangements' for Kit's holiday stay.  
  
In the mean time, the two had the next few hours to themselves.  
  
Draco, at the moment, was sleeping soundly on the seat next to her after cushioning his head on her shoulder.  
  
For the barest moment after he fell asleep, Kit fought the temptation to fiddle with his silver tresses. See above.  
  
Stroking his hair was generally taboo, but this was too much to resist.  
  
As her fingers trailed through his silky locks, she found her gaze drawn to his face. He looked so... peaceful. So young. And so vulnerable. It seemed nearly the _exact_ opposite of how he was acting now.  
  
On the way here, he had been quiet and recluse, bordering on sullen. He didn't seem to be pouting, exactly, but he wasn't happy about something. Kit had a good idea of what (or who) it was.  
  
As she continued to stroke his soft blonde locks, he stirred, his head nodding off into her lap. She smiled down at him while he continued to sleep, looking more at peace than ever.  
  
How she wished she could make sure he stayed like that; content and at ease. Then she remembered his face as he talked to his father; she could only hope that a time would come where he'd feel as well in life as he did in dreams.

* * *

Draco opened his eyes.  
  
"Where are we?"  
  
His voice was alert, and his face calm as he gazed up at Kit.  
  
"Your father sent us through muggle London, as to buy time to 'finalize the preparations for my stay', quote unquote." Kit informed him 

wryly.

For the barest moment, he stiffened; the next instant, his face smoothed and a shadow of a grin seemed to cross his face.  
  
"You know, you may be the first person on this earth to have talked to my father so bluntly and still lived to tell the tale."  
  
Kit grinned. "Oh come on, he can't be as bad as all that."  
  
He smiled coldly. "You have no idea." He replied softly.  
  
She couldn't help the tremor that passed through her as his voice touched her, but Draco didn't notice; his eyes were showing him a memory, far off in the realms of his mind.  
  
Suddenly he straightened and his eyes snapped back into focus. They had passed the magical barrier into the Malfoy Estate.  
  
"Now then," He began as though picking up on a conversation, "Are you ready to meet my mother?"

* * *

Shivering slightly – from the cold, she assumed – she stepped out of the long, dark limo that had brought them to the front doors of the Malfoy Manor.  
  
As she walked up, arm in arm with Draco, once again, as her escort, she felt the now familiar tingle of magic; charms, wards, curses and defenses.  
  
"...master will be joining us for Christmas, as he lives alone in a very... vampiric, state," Draco was saying as they crossed into the entrance hall.  
  
Kit barely heard him; she was to enraptured with the scene before her.  
  
In the Christmas spirit, the entry hall – big enough to fit several houses very comfortably, grand enough to rival the grandeur of a palace – was made up in silvers, greens, reds and golds.  
  
She doubted she had ever seen anything quite so spectacular.  
  
It wasn't anything near overdone, either, or gaudy, or there-just-because- we-can-afford-it type of style. It was elegant. It was lovely. It was breathtaking.  
  
Draco, used to his home in constant rearrange and change of scene, barely gave the entry hall a glance after giving a short nod of approval and, "Whoever's working here now at least knows how to put up decorations."  
  
"... a costume."  
  
After an expectant pause, Kit glanced at him, realizing he expected an answer to whatever he had said.  
  
"Beg pardon?"  
  
Draco looked up, as though asking Heaven for patience with a girl such as this. "I will repeat," He said calmly, "I had asked you if you had any appropriate dresses besides that one, as it is a costume. Christmas dinner is usually something of a big deal, regardless of our current positions with the law."  
  
He watched curiously as her eyes 'flamed', as he mentally referred to their quick change from silver to amber.  
  
"Oh – I – I hadn't really – I don't actually –"  
  
A sigh cut her off. "I'll take that as a no. Don't worry, my mother has personal fitters. They'll find something for you." His eyes raked over her quickly and he smirked. "I'll suggest they keep the corset."  
  
"Oh you - !" Kit exclaimed and gave him a shove. He looked like he might almost laugh – before something stirred in his memory.  
  
His face froze. "Kit," he began, suddenly serious, "You do know that things – some things will be different. Now that we're – here. With him."  
  
Her confusion was clear. "What do you mean?"  
  
He opened his mouth to reply, but stopped as they reached the stairs. "I'll –"  
  
"Draco! You're home!" A soft voice floated down the staircase to them. "Did you bring the girl?"  
  
A face appeared at the top of the stairs for a split second before disappearing again. The next moment, a woman accompanied the face, descending to greet her Christmas guest.  
  
Kit couldn't help but stare. The woman who, she at first supposed was Draco's mother, couldn't've been older that twenty. If one were to call her beautiful, it would be grossly understated.  
  
"Hello, child." She said lightly in her melodious voice.  
  
"Hello –" – She couldn't say 'Mrs', that would make her seem old, something she was definitely not – "– Lady Malfoy." She felt as though she should curtsy or something, but feared embarrassing Draco, so she bent her knee slightly and bowed her head.  
  
Her laugh was as lovely as bells. "Oh, please, call me Narcissa. And you are?"  
  
"Kit, Lady – er, Narcissa."  
  
"I thought we agreed on Kaira?" Lucius Malfoy's voice floated down to join them.  
  
Kit flushed. "Oh – I – I forgot."  
  
"Kaira? What a beautiful name!" She exclaimed. Narcissa walked down the last few steps to where Kit and Draco stood, her dressing gown floating behind her gracefully.  
  
Gently, she embraced her son, who stiffly received her hug. His mother didn't seem to notice.  
  
Next, she turned to Kit. "My! What a beautiful dress! Wherever did you get it?" Not waiting for an answer, she circled her, inspecting the stitching, material, and craftsmanship. "Absolutely gorgeous! I don't suppose this was for Hogwarts' Yule Ball? Who was the supplier? Madame Malkin, I presume. She may be a common witch, but she certainly knows her craft – and what's this? Are you wearing one of those old muggle contraptions? What's it called – a corset?"  
  
Kit made a face and nodded grimly. To her immense surprise, Narcissa clapped her hands together in delight.  
  
"How marvelous! You must let me see it later, I'll duplicate and enlarge it! I do hope you let Draco purchase this outfit; it's only fitting, after all." Not waiting for an answer, she circled her once more. "You know, I was just shown the most beautiful material," She said thoughtfully. "I was thinking of styling it for a New Year's gown, but I believe the color would fit you much better. You don't happen to have a Christmas gown already, do you? Christmas dinner is a bit of a party with us, I'm afraid." She glanced up at her husband. "Anyway, I suppose we should leave these two gentlemen together... by the way, Draco, darling, I _love_ your suit! You should wear it tonight; you look simply marvelous in those colors, darling!"  
  
With that, she clasped Kit's hand in hers and began tugging her up the stairs.  
  
"Your makeup looks wonderful, so elegant... the Zabini boy's handiwork, I presume?"  
  
"You know Blaise?"  
  
"Of course, he's Draco's cousin!"  
  
Their voices faded away as they disappeared into Narcissa's fitting room, leaving the two bearers of the Malfoy name together on the stairs.  
  
After a moment, Lucius glanced down at his son. "I don't suppose your mother's boyfriend is still lurking about?"  
  
"She got rid of him when you went... away. She said she didn't want to be known as a disloyal wife."  
  
Lucius snorted. "In other words, now that I'm back she'll have a whole new round dropping by."  
  
"No, she's taken to going to them instead." As he watched his father's face, a million questions stirred in his brain. Why would he care, anyway? Surely he'd go back to his usual mistresses as well. It wasn't as if he cared for his wife, at any rate; she was meant as his prize. A decoration.  
  
But, being his father's son, he staunched the flow of questions that never quite made it to his tongue. His face remained smooth and emotionless. When his father said no more to him, he turned and walked away, hoping his mother hadn't moved the library again.

* * *

He-llo again!  
  
**MutalatedTurtle** Yepyepyep. I don't think I'm all too good at cliffies, yet, but hey, practice makes perfect. ((evilgrin))  
  
**Escaped** haha Hello to you, too! Yeah, I'm bringing Draco back a bit to reality... or his reality, I'm sad to say. I'll see how fast I can update... I NEED AN OFFICIAL DAY! I mean, that would make things SO much easier, having a definite deadline... a little bit more hectic, albeit, but still. I desperately hope that my version of Lucius does not disappoint! At least, not too much...  
  
**SiriusLives001** Patience may be a virtue, but I'll admit, it's a difficult ((coughcough-impossible-coughcough)) thing to learn... we'll just have to try, I guess, hm?  
  
**MadSong** Mmhm, sorry, I did. I'm trying to have her be as human as possible... I don't want her perfect. She'd be boring if she were! And I don't want her jaded, regardless of her... past, experiences. ((heehee)) There's a bit of a hint to her background... not much, but I'll get to it if it works... Anyway, I'm glad you like her so much! Thank you for rEvIEwiNg!! (that's a hint to all my other anonymous readers, do you see that little go button? hit it! and type, maybe just a 'good job' or 'ew' or 'this rocks' or 'I really don't like it. sorry' or, etc., etc., etc., you really don't need me to tell you how to write a fragment! just do it!!!! )  
  
**kawaiirabbit14 **Yea! You wrote again! This is my friend from dance guys, say hi again to natachan!! anyway, I'd almost thought I'd lost you! I mean, it's been CHAPTERS since you last reviewed! oh well. thank you for catching up!!!   
  
**angel pixy faerie** Thank you! I'm glad you're going to keep reading; it kinda stinks to lose readers and reviewers. And don't worry, I doubt this will end any time soon – I think I'm only at the one third mark! ((haha))  
  
**mistik-elf13** Mmm... 'Lucy'... interesting nickname! ((haha)) I love it! And yes, as you see, you were right. I mean, I couldn't have a fic with Draco in it without involving his father in some way. And, though many writers leave him to be the ever looming PRESENCE, I wanted him in the story – at least once – in flesh and blood. So... here he is! TA DA!  
  
See you in – gasp! – Chapter Twenty Five! Wow! 


	25. Dining with the Malfoys

**Chapter Twenty Five:: Dining with the Malfoys**

* * *

Tottering slightly, Kit stumbled down the hall to where Narcissa had pointed out her room ("Right across from Draco's, the darling, he'll be so happy to have company so close!").  
  
It was noon. She had stood there, in Narcissa's fitting rooms – bigger than a family dining hall – for the past three hours, allowing herself to be Blaiseified once again – only this time, it was Narcissa-style.  
  
Standing for three hours was tiring.  
  
Glancing at her watch, she wearily noted that she had three hours to rest; the party started at four and Narcissa was insisting that she took, as a minimum (a highly disprovable minimum) an hour for styling, makeup and dressing.  
  
So she flopped down on the bed without taking any note of her surroundings, vaguely recalling that Narcissa had promised to send a house elf for her.

* * *

Draco woke, after having successfully locating his room, to see his father glaring down at him. He could feel his heart leap to his throat and knew he was failing miserably – in Malfoy standards – at keeping his current shock from his face.  
  
"F- Father," He acknowledged weakly, all the while berating himself. How could he have fallen so far from his usual reserve? What had changed?  
  
Instantly, he began to sit up and stopped when he felt something warm pressed up against his side. Looking down, his eyes widened to see Kit lying there beside him.  
  
"Wh-what-?!" He gasped.  
  
"That's what I would like to know. Myles," The senior Malfoy turned from his son to address the elderly house elf beside him. "Myles, go inform Narcissa that the girl will be sent up to her shortly."  
  
Myles bowed in a creaky, elderly fashion and, with a loud crack, disappeared. The noise had the desired affect on the sleeping figure: shooting upright, she turned over and fell off the bed.  
  
"Wh- what?!" She sputtered, "Whe- where am –" She stopped, eyes widening, as she looked up – first to her right, up to the bed where Draco still sat, then to the left, where the imposing senior Malfoy stood. "Um." Not the best word in such a situation.  
  
Lucius scowled down at her. "Narcissa is waiting for you in her rooms upstairs." He informed her icily. "I expect you won't wish to keep her any longer."  
  
"Y-yes, sir." She replied meekly. Standing, she inched herself as far from Lucius as she could manage before dashing out the door. She didn't know why, exactly, he made her feel so frightened; it didn't help matters that he barely concealed the fact that, for some unknown reason, he seemed revolted and/or disgusted by her. But she'd much rather try to figure it out in the safety of Narcissa's rooms.  
  
Once she was gone, Lucius turned back to his son. "She has no influence on you?" He mocked softly.  
  
"No, father." He replied, his eyes unfocusing.  
  
Swiftly, Lucius closed the space between the two and yanked his chin up, forcing his offspring's eyes to meet his. "Draco," He began softly, "There have been few times when you have had the misfortune to incur my wrath. Both those times, you were lying."  
  
He could feel his son's jaw tighten in his hand. At the very least, he didn't swallow.  
  
He lifted his son slightly from his perch. "I expect an answer when I'm speaking to you, Draco."  
  
Again, the tightening of the jaw. "Yes, father."  
  
"Do you remember why I was angry?"  
  
"Yes father."  
  
"Were you not lying those times I punished you?"  
  
"Yes father."  
  
"Are you not lying to me now?"  
  
Draco's eyes watered from the want to look away. "Yes father."  
  
The blaze behind Lucius' eyes dimmed a little. "I've asked you twice." His voice was ominously low. "Twice you have lied. I will not let it slide a third time. Does this girl influence you?"  
  
There was a pause. Draco was the only one for whom Lucius would ever wait.  
  
"Somewhat, father."  
  
Opening his mouth to continue his verbal lashing, he was cut off by a loud CRACK.  
  
Myles had returned. "Sir," he squeaked, "Severus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts, Godfather to the young master, has arrived and now wishes to speak with you – at present, and after the evening closes."  
  
For a moment, Lucius continued to study his son. "Tell him I will be with him shortly." He finally answered. Readdressing Draco, he added, "We will continue this later" before turning and striding through the door. 

* * *

Kit had been, as reported earlier, reBlaisified.  
  
And for once, she didn't really mind. She had a considerable amount of rest, she didn't have half as many tangles in her hair, and she had found a charm to keep the corset from strangling her. Overall, she was feeling relatively happy – a suitable emotion for Christmas Day.  
  
The one thing that irked her was that Narcissa insisted that the two made their grand appearance once all the guests had arrived and the dinner about to start. It was tradition, she said. All the Malfoy Ladies had a right to it, especially when in their own home.  
  
Irritated, Kit still let it go; although she seemed as harmless as a doll, there was something in her overall manner that reminded her too much of Narcissa's husband.  
  
And so, when the loud CRACK came, Kit managed to keep her show of surprise down to a two foot jump (she felt she was getting used to it), Myles reported that the last guest had arrived and that the two should feel free to enter the dining room at any time they liked.  
  
Narcissa promptly dabbed on a darker shade of lip colour, refused to let her look in the mirror and stepped through one of the many passages to the grand staircase leading to the dining hall.  
  
"Well. Let's go, shall we? And don't worry, you look lovely, darling."  
  
Kit hoped so. She was dressed in a deep russet color cloth, very late forties American style dress: long, very floaty satin skirt, tight at the hips, waist and bust, very formfitting and very flattering, sleeveless. It had some modern twists to it, though, such as a long, Greek style lengthwise slit on either side reaching from ankle to bust with black laces all the was up, magicked to stay. The bust was sheer and had black material underneath, causing the dress to seem to fade from the russet to the scarlet. Her hair had roses of all red shades woven into it, and in her hand she held one "To give to your first dance" as Narcissa put it.  
  
"There won't be many," She had said, "But don't hurry to give it away." A shadow seemed to cross her face. "And if anyone – anyone – bothers you, though I doubt they will in Lucius' house, don't hesitate to tell someone. Some of our guests are of... dubious character. Stay in one of the two rooms to be used for tonight. Oh, and do be polite, darling."  
  
Leaving no time for questions or protests, Narcissa swept out of the passage onto the stairs and descended, floating as an angel from heaven. She certainly looked the part, in a dark ensemble of colors that made her seem part of the sky itself.  
  
Then it was Kit's turn. She fancied herself as Scarlet O'Hara, leading lady of 'Gone with the Wind'; brave, bold and beautiful – though she didn't feel much of either. Nonetheless, she put herself in Scarlet's place as she descended, proud and pretty, descending to her host of admirers – all the while (as Kit) hoping that no one was really watching.  
  
She almost panicked when she reached the dinner table.  
  
Narcissa had told her that everyone was seated by order of importance; as Kit was a house guest and a close companion to her son, Narcissa explained, she would hold one of the few seats of honor, close to the family seating.  
  
But from her position on the staircase, she couldn't tell where the family sat.  
  
She could feel her face heat as she stood there, for what felt an eternity, but couldn't have been more than a few seconds. Finally, she didn't know whether out of pity or protocol, a tall, darkly robed man appeared at her elbow and began to guide her to her seat. Glancing up, she was shocked to see the face Professor Severus Snape staring straight ahead.  
  
"I apologize for my tardiness." He murmured in the direction of Lucius as he deposited the girl in a seat to the right of Narcissa, directly across from Draco, who sat a seat away from his father. She assumed it was that way so the Professor wouldn't have to lean across from him to converse.  
  
"Oh, the poor darling," Kit heard Narcissa murmur as she sat, "Lucius must be annoyed with him." It was not until later that Kit found out that the seating arrangements were in the slightest form of punishment in the form of humiliation. Only a few would realize its significance.  
  
Shifting slightly, she noted with an increasing level of shock, which she desperately hoped stayed off her face, that sitting next to her was Quentin Ridge. The Quentin Ridge. The Demi-God Quentin Ridge. The Demi-God That She Had Blown Off Twice Quentin Ridge.  
  
What was he doing here?!  
  
Ugh, how she wished she could just slide under the table and die – or at least be old enough to know how to apparate.  
  
Hurriedly, she faced front, hoping against hope that he did not address her; Narcissa had instructed her to be polite, and protocol required an answer.  
  
Could she turn invisible?  
  
Was there a charm to make a hole appear and swallow her up? Or, even better, swallow him up so she could still have a good evening?  
  
The end was near. Cause of death? Embarrassment? Humiliation? An overwhelming feeling of offendedness? Indignantness? A blend of all four? Probably.  
  
She hoped she could forget about Ridge at least long enough to make her final goodbyes... especially to Draco. She needed to apologize about the earlier scene and steel herself for that embarrassment as well.  
  
Either way she looked, the end was near. 

* * *

... and so was the end of this chapter!  
  
Hello to all those who have not abandoned me in my long absence from this page... yes, school has finally ended for me, the procrastinator known as Silverfey, aka (ican'ttellyou,pennamesareforsecrecy). But now I'm sick. With strep. I can't talk right, and I can't breathe right, and I'm being tortured by my first youngest brother (I'm the only girl in five boys, three younger, two older). But, thank god for antibiotics! I can actually move my neck now, swallow, and walk without the room spinning! and last night, I actually slept the whole night through! I'm so happy, I could cry. But seriously, I think this is someone's idea of a joke on me. I mean, who gets strep in the Midwest in June? Okay, enough self pity, onto my eternal thanks.  
  
_Reviewers, Reviewers, and more Reviewers, how I love thee...  
_  
Oh well, now I can express my love by replying to you!  
  
**SiriusLives001** Well, you've got most of it down right, but don't be all to quick to judge; Kit still has another week and a half to get through with the Malfoy family!  
  
**Escaped** That really is a surprise. I honestly didn't think anyone would make much of Narcissa, but now you've got me thinking (what a change!). Maybe she could have (slightly) a bit more than a bit part... hmm... but you liked her? really? And you picked up the hint! Haha! And yes, school has finally, for procrastinating me, been let out – but I'm nothing compared to Chicago school students, they're not done until the TWENTY FOURTH of JUNE! Can you believe it? talk about torture!  
  
**Pinkeye346** So true. Keep reading, I'll keep writing, and the plot will get even thicker – but I hope it won't be too messy.  
  
**Glass Dragon** I know. I know. I almost cried. But my brother's assure me that he's not as terrible looking as all that (as they've seen the third movie, and I still have yet to). You've probably already seen it; what do YOU think? Please tell me it was just a bad camera angle! My precious darling Draco! What on earth did they DO to you?! Okay, I think I'll go cry now...  
  
**MadSong** Really? I thought I was actually being original with the name! (haha) But seriously, I'm glad you like it. I thought a lot of people would be disappointed that I didn't make Narcissa out as an evil, conniving I- can't-say, because she IS, after all, married to the most evil HUMAN wizard in history...  
  
**Chrisoriented** Thank you! I never expected anyone to reply to the note, but it was such an encouragement that you did! I hope that my chapters to come do your eagerness credit. (did that make sense? oh well, if it didn't, no one can blame me, I'm sick with strep and therefore delirious... seriously)  
  
**Weirdo101** Hey! after that one lone review, I was beginning to think you'd left me! I'm glad you like it! 


	26. Merry Christmas

**ATTENTION! ATTENTION! BEFORE YOU READ THIS CHAPTER, GO BACK TO CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE! THE AUTHOR'S NOTE THAT WAS THERE PREVIOUSLY HAS BEEN REPLACED BY AN ACTUAL CHAPTER! READ AND REVIEW, THEN FEEL FREE TO RETURN TO THIS PAGE!  
**  
_Those who have already realized this may feel free to scroll down and read. Thank you.  
_  
**Chapter Twenty Six:: And So Ends the First Day**  
  
As it turned out, she had nothing to worry about. Ridge paid virtually no attention to her, except to shoot a dazzling smile in her direction every now and again. Draco was staring at her, clearly wanting to say something but a) not knowing how to say it or b) couldn't in the current company. She had tried to pay attention to Narcissa's words to the ladies at the surrounding tables, as well as the ladies' several admiring men, but found her mind drifting from the unknown names flitting about; so-and-so did this, and did you hear about what's-her-face's new husband? You-remember- him did that to the-one-who-founded-the-new-place.  
  
So Kit was left to her fidgeting.  
  
There was no doubt about it, dinner was a _lovely_ occasion; but it was so... fake. Everybody fawning over everyone of higher importance, then condescending to those still lower than themselves. It seemed that everyone had a place due to name – Draco was right at home, in more ways than one – and it was a bit difficult when you weren't quite sure of where you fit in. Especially when people tried to question her on occasion.  
  
It would go something like this: And you, dear girl, you know the family how?  
  
Kit would reply she was a school friend of Draco's.  
  
And which fine, upstanding Slytherin parent do you belong to? A smirk and a wink usually accompanied this.  
  
She replied she was undecided; her story was she was a transfer student yet to be placed.  
  
Oh. Well, your parents must be so _proud_, having a daughter attending such a school as Hogwarts, as it has the _best_ known Potions Master known to wizard kind, though his talents really would be better suited to other areas. Might I inquire, to which family line do you belong?  
  
I am not at liberty to discuss them, she had finally deigned to reply.  
  
At which point, they would get a knowing look in their eye, pat her hand/head/leg/arm/cheek comfortingly and let the subject drop. It all made her feel a bit nervous, but at least they didn't inquire any further.  
  
Occasionally, Draco would glance over to her, and Kit smiled what she hoped was an apologetic smile, saying, 'Draco-I-really-don't-have-a-clue-as-to- what-happened-but-even-so-I-hope-you-didn't-get-into-trouble-please-forgive- me-it-was-another-mistake-so-I'm-sorry-okay-?'  
  
Or something along those lines.  
  
Draco would just glance away again.  
  
Finally, dinner ended when the Lord of the Manor stood to make his toast to the holidays, family, and health.  
  
Kit wondered if anyone else noticed the strain he put on 'family'.  
  
Finally, Lucius stood, signaling the end of dinner.  
  
About to push herself away from the table, she was shocked to find Professor Snape waiting silently at her elbow to pull out her chair.  
  
"P-Professor Snape – I – uh – thank, thank you." She stammered as he pulled her to her feet.  
  
Ignoring her stuttering, he leaned close to her for a moment and murmured, "We have to talk, you and I." Before she could respond, he bowed shortly and walked away, leaving Kit there to puzzle over his sentence. He had sounded... she gave a mental shrug. She couldn't place the tone of his voice.  
  
"What on earth could cause that pretty little face of yours to furrow so?"  
  
Kit jumped at the voice behind her and whirled to face the speaker.  
  
Quentin Ridge smirked at her and gave a little bow. "Come now, don't do that to your face." He said cheerfully. "It is Christmas, you know."  
  
Kit lifted an eyebrow and didn't say anything.  
  
Sighing, Ridge began to walk behind her. "I get the distinct impression that you don't like me very much." He paused, as though waiting for affirmation. Greeted only by silence, he continued. "Why, I wondered, would that be? What on earth could I have done to earn such enmity? Then, going back to our first meeting, I decided it might be that we started off on the wrong foot. So I wondered if we could begin again. Possibly over a waltz?" He looked at her expectantly as melodic strains began to fill the hall outside the dining area.  
  
She didn't answer.  
  
He tried another tack. "Kaira, was it? Well then, let's pretend that we've never met before. I'll introduce myself, and you respond. Does that sound good?"  
  
Finally, Kit looked him full in the face. "Why?" She asked. "I've already seen one of the worse sides of you, and even if we pretended, it would still be there. Besides, why would you want to get to know me, besides the obvious reasons?"  
  
He blinked. "Well, duh. Because everyone has their bad sides. No one's exempt. Besides, everyone is always raving about Kit, how amazing she is, how she knows the best people, how she could be royalty, how mysterious she is, etc., etc. Who wouldn't want to know her?"  
  
She gave a reluctant grin. "You make me sound like a detective style Barbie."  
  
"Well then, could I be Ken? Seriously, though, can we start over?"  
  
Kit gave a shrug. "I'll think about it."  
  
Ridge grinned. "That's all I ask. I suppose I'll see you later. Save me a dance?"  
  
Before she could answer, he turned and walked away. Once again, she was left to figure out the next order of things. Luckily, she didn't have long to wait; everyone was filing out of the dining area into what she supposed was the ballroom.

* * *

**As she entered the ballroom** – a huge area, gilded in gold, beige and scarlet – she was immediately approached to fill out her dance card. All of them were handsome, tall, and extremely confident; some were funny and made her laugh; others were impudent and made her angry; some were sweet and made her smile – but she didn't dance.  
  
The good thing was that, while some finally got frustrated enough to leave, a few young men stayed around just to keep her company. They were all older, late twenties at most, and regaled her with stories of their days at Hogwarts; troubles they caused, pranks they pulled, times they got out of trouble by lying smooth as butter. Some begged her to dance with them, just once, they pleaded, but she only laughed and refused.  
  
Finally, one youth, exhausted from his failed pleas, asked whom she was holding out for, the heir?  
  
Unfortunately, she could not respond fast enough.  
  
In no time, they had jostled and shoved Draco over to her circle.  
  
"Just hurry up and get her to dance!" Someone called out.  
  
"Yeah, we all want a turn!"  
  
"It's not fair though, having all the money and all the ladies every year! Give us a chance next time, why don't you?"  
  
Laughter greeted these statements, but Draco only scowled.  
  
"Shut up, you lot." He growled.  
  
"Ooh, the little dragon's mad!" A new voice teased.  
  
"I don't get it, all we did was get him together with his girl of the year!"  
  
"Oho, maybe it was a lover's spat!" Another one jibed with a wicked grin.  
  
"With which one?"  
  
Hoots of laughter followed the last one.  
  
"Hey now," a different voice began, "Just because our dragon's the fastest one around doesn't mean anything about this lady, pretty as she is. So tell us," He continued earnestly, "how far have you two gotten?"  
  
Raucous laughter met this comment, followed by more jibes, until one smooth voice pierced the noise.  
  
"A woman's virtue is nothing to laugh at – or about." Lucius Malfoy stood behind them, cane in hand, looking every part the benevolent host. "I can assure you, Lady Kaira's virtue remains intact."  
  
There was a short silence, punctuated by a shuffling of feet. Everyone seemed to know that whatever simple comment the Lord Malfoy said held truth; he never lied. He only twisted the truth when the need arose.  
  
"How would he know?" A little too loud voice intoned the question in everyone's minds. There was a collective cringe of sympathy for the speaker as Lucius' eyes narrowed and swept along the boys.  
  
"I know you, Cristos. I expect you in the lounge at the end of my party." A chill ran through the little crowd, and dread filled the surrounding persons for the young man Cristos.  
  
"Draco!" Lucius suddenly barked out. "What, pray tell, are you doing, loitering about? As you are the one hosting the Lady Kaira for the remainder of the holidays, it is your responsibility to entertain her, and it is for you to be her opening and closing partner of the evening."  
  
"Yes, father." Draco murmured.  
  
"I expect to see you in the hall shortly." With that, he turned as swirled out of the room, leaving guests scrambling for their bearings in his wake.  
  
"Yes father." Draco replied to empty air.  
  
Straightening up, he glanced around, seemingly unaware of the uncomfortable silence.  
  
"Well then," He began. Walking up to Kit, he took her hand and bowed over it. Hesitantly, Kit curtsied in reply.  
  
"It will be my honor to escort you and present you this evening, and it is my honor to be chosen as your first partner of this fair eve." He recited.  
  
Kit murmured something indistinct and allowed herself to be led to the dance hall, glancing helplessly over her shoulder at her promised dance partners.  
  
Her first dance of the evening was swift. Draco did everything that was required, and no more. He was abrupt, polite, and distant, just as a noble should be. As soon as the music ended, he deposited her into the arms of her next dance partner.  
  
And so it went on, until the final song was announced. It was a slow, haunting melody, melancholy, one which Kit would find replayed in her mind for days to come.  
  
_One winter, one winter  
  
One winter gone past  
  
A time, a song, a memory that won't last  
  
A snowfall that melts with the first hint of light  
  
A sleep that fades with the morning's first sight  
  
A love, long last, that appears forever  
  
Which seems a time infinite  
  
Quickly recognized as never  
  
Too soon, we find ourselves burying  
  
That which we promised to always hold dear  
  
And we step up out of childhood, realizing  
  
That a memory is a memory  
  
And a dream a dream  
  
But when it comes to love  
  
Nothing, not a thing, is what it seems  
  
And so we sleep with our eyes still open  
  
And hope and wish and pray  
  
That one time soon our dreams and wishes will take solid form in day  
  
Lovers, lovers  
  
One love gone past  
  
Into the depths of memory  
  
Where nothing ever lasts  
  
And each new love  
  
Each new hope  
  
Believes that theirs will be the one  
  
That will go down into history  
  
As true love's first true song  
  
One song, one song  
  
One song gone past  
  
A time of when dancing made love feel strong enough to last  
  
A time when love felt an eternity  
  
A time when there was no such word as 'enmity'  
  
A time when lovers whispered sweet nothings  
  
A time before truth revealed that the memories  
  
The moments  
  
The times long past  
  
The winters  
  
The songs  
  
And that the forevers don't always last  
  
One time, one time  
  
One time gone past  
  
Hear this sad truth:  
  
Forever does not last  
_  
Something about that song stayed with her through the night – maybe because it was the only lyrical song. Or maybe because it made her want to enjoy the present moment and not make 'forever' promises.  
  
Hearing it had made her shiver; perhaps Draco felt it. His arms tightened around her ever so slightly as they swayed together, letting the music wash over them.  
  
Finally, Kit spoke. "Draco, I'm sorry. I don't know what exactly happened, but I get the feeling that it wasn't for the best."  
  
He let out a snort. "That's putting it a bit mildly." His voice softened and dropped a notch as he continued, "But I appreciate your apology."  
  
"Forgive me?"  
  
A smirk lit on his face. "Almost. But tell me, how did my father know to speak with such conviction?"  
  
Pulling her head back from its resting place on his shoulder, she glanced up at him. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"Your 'virtue'. He rarely says anything unless he's absolutely sure about it. It's hard to see how he could be so sure about that. Is he right?"  
  
Kit made a face. "Do you seriously want to have this conversation?"  
  
He shrugged. "Just wondering."  
  
She snorted. "And what reason would you have to be interested?"  
  
"Curiosity."  
  
"It killed the cat."  
  
"If you haven't noticed, they call me a dragon, not a kitten."  
  
"And that matters how?"  
  
"What were we talking about?"  
  
"I'm not sure."  
  
The two lapsed into silence as the song ended.  
  
"Um. Thanks, Draco." Kit murmured as she dropped a curtsy.  
  
Draco bowed and kissed her hand in response, leaving her skin tingling where his lips had made contact. "It was my pleasure."  
  
Kit turned to follow Narcissa out to the foyer to help dismissing guests.  
  
"Kit –"  
  
She turned back at the sound of his voice.  
  
He swallowed. "I – I'm glad you're staying the holidays. With me."  
  
Kit allowed a tiny smile. "Me, too." 

* * *

****

**11 p.m.  
**  
Christmas.  
  
Malfoy Hall.  
  
"Psst! Draco!"  
  
Quickly, he glanced around. Kit was calling him – but from where?  
  
"Psst! Over here!"  
  
His bracelet began to warm as he approached a pillar, trying to stroll nonchalantly through his huge home.  
  
"Kit..." He murmured.  
  
Hearing a giggle, he turned ever so slightly to his left, in time to see a shadow disappear.  
  
A grin flickered across his face. "Where are you...?"  
  
"Over here..." A whisper came from ahead of him.  
  
"Where's here?" He asked, stepping farther down the hall.  
  
"Shh! Here is _here_."  
  
"Mmhm..." He stepped closer to the voice and heard a cloak whisper.  
  
"Don't speak so loud; your voice will echo..." Her words rose in demonstration and the bounced down the corridor until they faded away.  
  
"Why are you hiding?" He asked as he tried to follow her movements.  
  
Her giggle echoed. "Because it's more fun if you find me, silly. Besides, there's a surprise if you catch me..."  
  
A wicked grin spread across his face. "_Really?_ Well then, that makes things ever so much more interesting."  
  
"I know. So, come get me, slowpoke!"  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"Sh! Don't be so loud!"  
  
"Sorry. But, I know where you are."  
  
"Yeah, right. Come find me, then. I'm over heerreee!"  
  
Their words reverberated through the hall, punctuated by stifled laughter and hurried shushes.  
  
Finally, Draco's hand darted out and snatched at something flicking in the shadows.  
  
"I caught you!"  
  
"Haha, that's what you think!" She giggled. Suddenly, Kit gave a tug and Draco stumbled into the shadow after her.  
  
"Wh-!?"  
  
Snow.  
  
They were in snow.  
  
Somehow, Kit had found a passageway from the manor to the outside, and now the two lay sprawled out in the snow, heavy white flakes falling around them.  
  
Kit was laughing so hard, she could hardly breathe.  
  
"W-wasn't – wasn't that worth the – the chase?" She got out between giggles.  
  
Draco let out a surprised chuckle and gazed down at her. "Wonderful. You planned it, I assume."  
  
"No, your father did. Of course I planned it! Sheesh!"  
  
"Okay, okay, sorry I offended you."  
  
"Forgiven. Now, get off me, you great lug."  
  
It was only then that Draco realized he sprawled out on top her. Pushing himself up slightly, he stared down at her lying there. Her hair fanned out around her, a dark contrast to the flurry surrounding them, and her nose and cheeks were already pink in the cold night air. Her eyes danced with merriment, and for a moment, Draco could not think of anything or anyone more desirous.  
  
Shocked at the thought and the realization that he didn't want to move, he stared down at her for a moment longer. Her lips, currently pink, looked full and inviting against her pale face... they were so close already... all he needed to do was lean forward, just the littlest bit... and...  
  
Snow filled his face.  
  
"Wh- what?!" He spluttered as he rolled away.  
  
Kit was laughing uncontrollably. "I –I'm s-sorry, Draco – it – you were too much to resist!" She gasped and collapsed into giggles again.  
  
Finally, the shock wore off, and indignance set in.  
  
"You think this is funny?" He spluttered, wiping snow off his neck.  
  
"Hilarious! I mean, honestly Draco, haven't you ever had a snowball fight?" She replied, wiping a tear from her face.  
  
"Well then," a grin began to pull at his face, "I suppose this might be... humorous, as well." With that, he tossed a fist full of snow onto her face, just as she stood up, leaving her mouth open in shock.  
  
"No. Way. You did not just do that."  
  
"Oh, but I believe I did." He countered smoothly.  
  
"Well then. There's only one thing I can do."  
  
"What, build a fort and beg forgiveness?"  
  
"Nope. Prepare yourself... for retaliation!"  
  
A perfectly packed snowball exploded in his face, followed by another to his chest and stomach.  
  
And so, the snowball fight began.  
  
Somewhere along the way, Draco managed to unearth his broomstick and take an unfair advantage from the sky, but a well-aimed snowball sent him crash landing, and his Nimbus Two Thousand and One changed ownership.  
  
Instead of soaring up high and terrorizing him from the sky, Kit skimmed the top of the snowbanks, piling it in her hand as she flew, then hissing up to dump it down his back.  
  
Unfortunately, flying so low had its disadvantages.  
  
Kit was zooming up to Draco, lying flat out on the broom, expecting to pelt him as he dove out of the way to either side... but instead, Draco fell on his back, and before Kit could veer up, he latched onto the broom and went along for the ride before scooting up and dumping snow down her back.  
  
The sudden cold was like a mini blizzard down her shirt, and the next moment, the broom headed down, down, down... into a snow bank.  
  
Screams, laughter and shouts silenced for a moment.  
  
Then -  
  
"Mmph."  
  
A hand reached up from the broken snow, and slowly, a body emerged, followed by another.  
  
At first, there was silence, besides the two's ragged breathing as they stared at each other. Then a shaky laughter.  
  
Within moments, their tears were freezing to their faces from their mirth, and, a bit unsteadily, they climbed to their feet, broom in tow. 

* * *

**Several minutes later,** the two, pajama clad, were sitting in front of a large fire, sipping hot cocoa.  
"Wow," Draco heaved a sigh. "That was great. You know, I've never done that before?"  
  
"What, been bested by a girl?"  
  
He made a face. "Haha. Who said you won anyway? I thought we decided it was a draw. I mean, come on, that corkscrew rapid fire of mine was genius!"  
  
"Yeah, well, what haven't you ever done?"  
  
Draco flapped his hand. "That!"  
  
Kit snorted. "What, a snowball fight?"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
For a moment, she stared at him. "You've got to be kidding." She said finally. "How can you never have been in a snowball fight?"  
  
"Well, it's not like this area is teeming with young offspring. Most residents look on children as a burden, unless they are to carry on their family lineage."  
  
Kit glanced at him doubtfully. "You can't be serious." She said, uncertainty tingeing her voice. "Can you? I mean, I know some people who don't like kids and all... but, to have them just for –" She took a moment to grapple for the word – "– historical purposes? That's like breeding horses! You can't be serious."  
  
For a moment, his face seemed to harden. "Yes, I can be." He countered softly. "What do you think I am?"  
  
Kit sucked her breath in between her teeth. "Don't say that. You can't know that."  
  
Draco laughed softly. "Oh really? You haven't been listening to my parents, then. My mother never wanted to get pregnant – but my father didn't have any siblings, so he was the last hope of our 'line'. So, he tricked my mother – he told me she was so drunk she didn't know if an hour had passed or a day. In a way, I was some practical joke, I guess, with a tiny bit of gravity to it." He smiled thinly. "And that is how I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, came to being."  
  
Kit was silent for a moment. Then, setting her mug down on a table, she leant over and hugged him.  
  
Shocked, Draco went rigid. "What –" He swallowed "– what was that for?"  
  
Kit shrugged and pulled away slightly to lean her head on his shoulder. "Just because. You needed it." 

* * *

****

**Weirdo101** I seriously and sincerely thank you for your sympathies, and yes, I am now HEALED! BWAHAHAHAHAHA!! WATCH OUT, WORLD, I HAVE LOST TIME TO MAKE UP FOR!!!! ahem. Yeah. So, um, thanks for being one of the few who actually realized that I replaced my author's note with an actual chapter... heesh  
  
**Escaped** Don't worry, everything will be explained in due time – every single, miniscule mystery. Heehee. And yes, I sincerely believe that death by humiliation is a totally possible form of dying. And if anyone is confused by Ridge's seeming turnabout, don't worry, as I said, every single, miniscule mystery will be revealed. Patience is key, unfortunately... hmm... 


	27. Sweet Dreams

**Chapter Twenty Seven:: Sweet Dreams**

* * *

"Draco."  
  
Technically, it was morning, and the two were walking up to their rooms, Kit clutching what she affectionately called her 'cheetah rat': a stuffed cheetah, sitting upright like a fascinated cat.  
  
Draco's black silk pajama's were rumpled, proof of the fitful bouts of sleep that he had fallen into in front of the hearth.  
  
Kit wrapped her arms around her body and shivered as they paced the still halls, wishing she had on more than her oversized tee shirt.  
  
"Draco," Kit started, "Can anyone ever _really_ hate someone?"  
  
He didn't even take a moment to think about it; his answer was an emphatic "Yes".  
  
"Then what about the converse? Can anyone really, _really_ ever love someone? Or something?"  
  
A smirk played across his face. "What is this, twenty questions?"  
  
Kit giggled then stopped, mid laugh. A thoughtful manner settled over her as she gazed at him. "Draco – what do you love?"  
  
His expression seemed to freeze over. Then, after a moment, "I don't know." His voice was a breath below a whisper.  
  
"Well – what is there in your life that you know you can't live without? That you care about, more than anything?" They had somehow wound up on one of the balconies that overlooked the enormous, snow-blanketed lawn; Kit now leaned over the side of one of the railings before turning her gaze back to him. "Besides food, of course." She added with a grin.  
  
Draco was silent, his expression impassible. Finally, he spoke. "There's not much." He said softly, approaching the railing she was propped against.  
  
She watched his hands clench and unclench the rail, still lost in thought. "That still means you care about something." She commented absently, eyes wandering up to his.  
  
"Yeah." He replied softly, reaching out a hand to tuck a stray curl behind her ear.  
  
Her subconscious must've registered his sudden proximity, for the next question out of her mouth was, "Draco – do you want to kiss me?"  
  
Draco nodded slowly, leaning his head down toward her uptilted face. "Yeah." He murmured huskily.  
  
Kit, one hand still clutching her cheetah rat's tale, impulsively moved her arms round his neck. "Good." She half sighed, closing her eyes as his lips met hers.  
  
At the contact, he felt his entire body head as a tingling sensation filled him, a feeling of fire engulfing him.  
  
This kiss – they weren't even as close as they could be. It was a phenomenal feeling; he had never experience such a rush, such a charge of emotion in one moment. It felt... impossible. Amazing.  
  
Just then, Kit pulled back. She gazed up at him, her eyes wide, flaming and flickering like a dying ember. "Um. Draco...?"  
  
He grinned halfway before stepping back up to kiss her once again – but she pulled away, just before his lips had a chance to brush hers.  
  
"I – Draco –" She started, but couldn't seem to find the words to finish.  
  
Leaning back slightly, he cleared his throat in response. "Yeah."  
  
Silence fell, and the two left the balcony, hands clasped lightly.  
  
At her door, Draco stopped and turned toward her. Opening his mouth, he closed it, tried again, and shook his head. Brushing her cheek with one hand, he moved over to the next door and disappeared.  
_Sugar plum fairies dancing in children's heads..._

Kit didn't remember much after entering her room, except for leaping into a warm, waiting bath and fighting the urge to fall asleep in the tub. Somehow, she resisted the temptation and managed to tug on a bathrobe as she stumbled out of the tub and fell into her inviting four-poster bed. This, she remembered thinking, seemed like a dream she had had before...  
  
The next morning, she thanked all she had ever known that she had pulled up the covers. Lo and behold, at the foot of her bed, sat Lucius Malfoy.  
  
"M- Mr. Malfoy!" She exclaimed weakly, desperately attempting to be discreet as she tugged at her bedcovers.  
  
Unfortunately, discretion was not one of her strong points; Lucius only smirked. "My dear girl, you have no reason to fret; there is nothing you have that I haven't seen before."  
  
Somehow, Kit didn't find this all too reassuring, but she stopped tugging and resigned herself to closing her bathrobe securely over her.  
  
After a moment's silence, made longer by Lucius' unnerving gaze, Kit made a venture.  
  
"Um – I don't mean to be – impudent – but, is this how you traditionally say good morning to your guests?"  
  
Lucius' smirk never faded. "Only the... special ones."  
  
"Am – am I special?"  
  
"You might be." He responded shortly.  
  
Another pause ensued, Lucius' stare reaching an impossible intensity, leaving Kit desperate to drop her pride and fidget. But she clenched her fists, gritted her teeth, and waited.  
  
Finally, when she thought she could bear it no longer – besides, she was getting hungry – Lucius spoke again.  
  
"You're her daughter, aren't you?"  
  
"What?" A thoroughly confused Kit blurted.  
  
He frowned. "Say 'beg pardon' or 'excuse me' if you must, but please, refrain from speaking so informal, so common, while in my household."  
  
Kit battled the immense urge to roll her eyes. Lucky for her, she won. Opening her mouth yet again, she suddenly found herself on her back, Lucius Malfoy atop her.  
  
"Wh-?!" She gasped, but he placed two fingers over her lips to silence her.  
  
"There have only been two women in my life that I have wanted and not had." His voice was astonishingly soft. "One of them I might have loved. Both went to those I hated." He sighed gently, his breath whispering across her face.  
  
"L-Lucius, I –"  
  
"You look exactly like her. Like my –" He stopped and touched his forehead to hers, his grip on her wrists loosening. "But you aren't her, are you?"  
  
She didn't speak; she was afraid to so much as breathe. So she shook her head ever so slightly, heart pounding furiously, praying it wouldn't burst.  
  
"Unfortunately," One hand let go of her and he began to trace her face lightly, "You also have some of his features. You facial structure, for instance. Your mother's face was very slim, bordering on long. Yours isn't much wider, but it isn't in danger of being odd. Your eyes – their wider, as well. Bigger. Your lips, though – they're exactly the same. No difference there – full – dark. So beautiful." His hand had left her face and was now trailing through her hair.  
  
Kit cleared her throat, or tried to. "M-Mr. Malfoy – Lucius – I –"  
  
"Shh..." He murmured, cutting her off again. "I'm not going to do anything. Like I said – I think I may've – loved – your mother. I would never do anything to harm her daughter. You are hers, aren't you?"  
  
"Whose?" She whispered.  
  
He told her and, after a moment of stunned silence, she gave him a weak nod of confirmation.  
  
"Thought so." He said softly. Suddenly, he shifted; his weight was now full on her, and he buried his head against her collarbone.  
  
Before Kit could get over her initial shock, Lucius spoke again. He seemed to hesitate, his emotions – emotions? – unclear as he clearly battled with... something.  
  
"I don't think it anymore; I was a fool to ever be undecided. I loved your mother. I am sorry she's gone."  
  
Breathing in deep, he shifted and she was free. Sitting up slowly, she watched in bewilderment as he crossed the guest room to the door.  
  
There he paused. "There are so many things," he said slowly, almost to himself, "That I would feel justified in doing now, as your mother was so devoted to me for so long a time... but then, that's how I lost her. I leave those privileges to be earned by my son."  
  
Before Kit could speak, he had slipped out the door and disappeared.  
  
Kit was left with one more thing to shove into storage to think about later, but her storage area was filling up fast, and soon, she wouldn't be able to cram anything more, else risk everything tumbling down.  
  
What she needed was quiet time.  
  
Sighing, she wondered if she was ever going to find it.

* * *

_Yes. I know. This is a weird chapter – but all will be explained. My mantra? Patience is key. No matter how much you despise it._

Hello, one and all! Thank you, ever so much, for your reviews! They give me so much confidence to continue to write... actually, they just make me feel happy in general.   
  
**Rednal29** Wow. I mean, wow. You read and reviewed every single one of my chapters in a day. _HOW LONG DID THAT TAKE YOU?!_ You are, to put it simply, amazing, Rednal29. Wow. Thank you so much! I'm so happy, I could cry. ((hugskissesmorehugs)) ((Hands Rednal29 special secret yummy delicious cookies made by yours truly)) Thank you so MUCH! You may notice that I am repeating myself. That is caused by lack of any other words to express my heartfelt astonishment. But, question: What was so weird about chapter four? And, as per your profile, how tall is tall? Hazel eyes rock – though I don't have them – and you should dye your hair blue as to emphasize them. (End Random Thought Mode) I am SO happy you reviewed EVERY single CHAPTER! I'm in ecstasy! Indebted to you for eva! Oh, and thanks for the cookies.   
  
**SiriusLives001** I know what you mean, but that's the great thing about Blaise... he/she is totally up for your imagination! How great is that? And as to whether Ridge is evil or not... let's just say I enjoy blowing raspberries at him. Yeah, I'm in my six year old stage at the moment... he's a meanie. Hmph. Oh, by the way, paranoia can sometimes be a good thing. But – DON'T DESTROY YOUR COMPUTER! HOW WILL YOU REVIEW?! I NEED YOU!!!  
  
**Escaped** Yeah, my first youngest brother, Danny, thought it was a real song and tried to remember the tune... it was so hilarious! You should have seen his face as he tried to sing a song with no tune... haha! I'm sorry, I'm getting carried away by the memory... heehee. Of course, once I stopped rolling on the floor and asked him to stop glaring at me, he laughed a bit too. So... all's well that ends well. Go Dan for Being Such a Good Sport! That Snowfight Scene – that was fun. Sigh. And now you can come out of your withdrawal! Yea!  
  
**Red-Devil15 aka Weirdo101** I am, sadly, exactly the same. No snowball would even dream of flying straight for me... of course, that might have something to do with the fact that my fingers won't bend for me in winter... hmm... 


	28. Day Two

**Chapter Twenty Eight:: Day Two**

* * *

Lucius leaned back in his chair and sighed, thinking over the events of the night before, in particular, the conversation he had had with Professor Severus Snape.

He had arrived before the evening had quite had the chance to begin. Narcissa's house elf, who she claimed after the loss of Dobby to that pest Potter, had interrupted a heart-to-heart with his son, Draco.

"Sir," Myles squeaked, "Severus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts, Godfather to the young master, has arrived and now wishes to speak with you – at present, and after the evening closes."

"Tell him I will be with him shortly." He answered, staring hard at his son, a frighteningly quiet anger smoldering behind his eyes. "We will continue this later." Lucius had then turned and strode out the door, angry at his son for lying, angry with that girl for being a cause for him to lie, and angry with himself for handling it the way he did.

Storming quietly up the steps, hard enough to feel a bit placated – quiet enough so no one would have cause for annoyance – he continued down the hall to his study, praying – for his friend's sake – that what Severus wanted to talk about wouldn't be anything worthy of his wrath.

* * *

Severus Snape stood by the hearth in Lucius' study, looking extremely uncomfortable in his stiff dress robes. He was waiting for the telltale slam of the door in that irritating way that so few could do properly – so far, Severus had met only four who could accomplish the slam the Malfoy way. He could always tell what kind of mood he was in by the slam.

"Lucius." He greeted mildly, as though in his own home.

"Severus." He replied tersely.

Not a good mood.

"What, pray tell," Lucius began as he settled himself into his favorite chair, long legs folded irritably over the arm, "Is the nature of your visit? Two hours before the official visit, I might add?"

Few besides Severus would be able to note the tension laced through Lucius' body.

Sighing, he decided to bring this anxiety to attention and get it over with. "I will tell you, in a moment. First though, there is something that otherwise holds your attention." After a moment's sullen silence, he sighed again. "Lucius, please. Spill."

He was rewarded with a wan smile. "No one else can wield a word like that so uncomfortably. Fine. The problem is with your godchild."

"Ah."

"'Ah'? That's all I get? A syllable?"

"It's a syllable of understanding, Lucius. I assume the two of you have had another... authoritative... dispute."

Heaving a sigh, Lucius slunk down in his chair and still managed to look regal. "Not quite. At least, I don't believe so. It might have been."

Severus let out a snort of disbelief. "Is this what I think it is? Lucius Malfoy, confused? I don't believe it."

Lucius glared at him. "It's called parenthood." He snapped waspishly. "You have been fortunate enough to not be obliged to enjoy it."

A shadow crossed his face. "Fortunate." He repeated softly. Turning away, he clasped his hands behind his back and stared into the cheerful blaze contained to the hearth.

For a moment, both men were silent, each lost to their own thoughts.

"As to my visit, Lucius," Severus started abruptly, shattering the silence that had fallen, "Do you remember that girl from all those years back?"

He didn't bother to ask which girl he meant; he didn't have to. Letting out an uncharacteristic snort, he answered, "You mean the one I feared you had fallen in love with until you clarified it to be a child? The little American foundling you discovered during one of your more... dubious business transactions, whom you temporarily placed in my care and cursed me for years afterward when she disappeared and you then promptly lost track of?"

Severus winced slightly before nodding. "Yes. That one." He cleared his throat. "Do you remember her name?"

Lucius frowned. What was he getting at? "I believe it was Anna."

He shook his head, keeping his onyx gaze on the brooding patriarch. "No, Lucius. It was Kaira."

He watched as his words finally drew a reaction from his stony friend.

"Do you remember me telling you why it was so important to watch over her?" He continued softly.

Lucius nodded slowly, eyes narrowing slightly. "But – surely – that condition must have dissolved. It was – temporary. Or it should have been, as it was hereditary –"

Severus cut off his friend with a sharp shake of his head. "No. Apparently, when inherited, the condition actually remains longer – and it's stronger." He sighed, kneading his eyes with his hands. "It's our own fault, I suppose, for not foreseeing the pregnancy. But now – this girl –"

Lucius was already shaking his head. "There's nothing I can do about it now, Severus, unless you want her dead. It's too late."

"The least you could do is keep her in your house." He persisted. "Watch over her until after break – Hogwarts will be a haven for her once more, and again I'll be able to monitor her."

Lucius studied his friend, thoughtful. This was Severus Snape, despised Potion's Master, expert in the Dark Arts, proud double agent – proud in general – nearly begging... in his own unique way, of course.

"What is this girl to you?" He found himself asking, not for the last time this week. "She must be more than a mere tool to you. Otherwise you wouldn't fret so much; in fact, you'd probably just kill her."

He watched Severus stiffen. "You're correct, Lucius. Call her – a memory. I didn't want to lose her that first time, as you recall."

Lucius ignored the needle.

"I – neither of us – wanted to lose her mother beforehand," he continued, "And, to quote a quaint muggle expression, 'Three's a charm'. Perhaps – perhaps things will work out to the best, for once. And as to your unspoken question, I do _know_ it's her. She has gained some control over the years – but not complete control. Even less when she's... passionate, about something."

Lucius inhaled slowly. What could he say? All this explained his odd feelings of déjà vu, and perhaps as to why his son was so taken with the girl... though nothing was sure. What was there to say?

He exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Very well."

Not much else could be done in the meantime. Besides, what could possibly happen in the space of a couple weeks?

Just as the Potion's Master was about to leave, he stopped and turned back. "One last thing," He said, clearing his throat. "Try to keep Draco from becoming too... ah... attached, to the girl. We don't want any other unforeseen mishaps to occur."

With that, the emerald flames enveloped the Potion's Master and Lucius Malfoy, Patriarch of the Malfoy family, was faced with something of a dilemma.

He wasn't required, directly, to report to his master. The orders had been to keep an eye on the mother. But, his position with his master was not doing all too well; while he couldn't enter Lucius' mind without killing him – he was too valuable at the moment to destroy – the dark lord knew that he had secrets. Adding one more... or subtracting one more... being recognized fully by the most powerful being in all of creation – or letting the girl enjoy her life and keeping a sworn secret that his oldest, only friend had made him keep.

Severus trusted him.

Lucius hated trust, and had told him this before. It made him feel almost vulnerable, being... responsible, for not only your own life and well being, which was hard enough to keep, but also that of another. Didn't he have enough responsibility?

But Severus trusted him.

That was rare – he was probably the most suspicious man he had ever had the misfortune to meet. Severus would never trust him fully, he knew; if he said one thing, he would always be prepared to turn around and baldly deny it, replacing that fact with something much more believable – however false.

He never trusted completely.

But he was trusting him with this.

Was it a test? If so – if so, he planned on passing it with flying colors. Through skill. Name, fear, money – all were worthless (well, nearly) in this game.

His lips turned up into a smirk, his first of the evening. He always loved a challenge.

* * *

That was last night. Today, he had a run-in with the subject and his son and wondered if he could take parenting two adolescents instead of one.

"What is this girl to you?" Lucius found himself asking once again, eyes on the subject's retreating back.

Draco knew better that to ask why this question was brought up. So he took a moment with his answer; he was the only one Lucius would ever have patience for.

"She's a –" – a what? An acquaintance? Someone close to him? Near and dear? A lover? "– friend."

Lucius sighed, long white fingers pinching the bridge of his nose.

Draco knew something wasn't right. That action was his father's only nervous habit, and it only surfaced when something foreboding was to happen in the near future.

He waited, semi-anxious for his father's next words.

"Try to make sure the two of you stay that way. Don't... advance, too much."

What the - ?!

Before Draco's lips could blurt his demand for a direct answer, he was gone.

Heaving a sigh, he unwittingly copied his father's habit.

Ladies and Gentlemen: Lucius Malfoy has left the building.

* * *

**Hello again!**

**My gosh, I've been gone for forever, I know, and I give you all my most sincere and humble apologies.**

**I beg, all my readers, for your forgiveness.**

**I hope you don't mind this chapter, and I know it's kinda frustrating, seeing as I'm the only one who knows anything about what's going on... but, keep reading and you'll find out – relatively – soon enough.**


	29. Intertwined

**Chapter Twenty Nine:: **

**

* * *

**

For Draco and Kit, things weren't so complicated.

They didn't spend the day giggling and gazing into each other's eyes and holding hands and ducking behind pillars to snog. But they weren't ignoring each other and blushing and glancing away the moment they made eye contact.

Things... were things. Nothing changed because of the kiss, no matter how wonderful it had been. It didn't even get capitals.

Things continued on as usual, except the trademark Malfoy smirk was seen a lot more often, and a bit softer. And their essences – instead of feeling only extreme emotions (fear,anger,joy,depression), the most insignificant feeling was noticed.

Not long after she had left Draco with his father, Kit was surprised to feel a tingle of something strange at the edge of her mind.

Frowning, she stopped walking, trying to focus on it. It wasn't... normal. It was like something that didn't exactly belong in her – or, more appropriately, to her. It was... an... emotion?

Confused, she began walking again, trying to make out what it could be and why it felt so odd.

Wouldn't she usually just feel whatever she was feeling? Since when did she have to recognize an emotion before feeling it? It was a bit annoying, really.

Once again, she stopped. Come to think of it, this emotion did feel a bit like annoyance... but more like... frustration.

Now, what reason did she have to feel frustrated? None!

So – what was going on?

Kit frowned. _This isn't making sense,_ She thought, toying with the chain around her neck.

Lost in thought, she didn't notice Draco walking toward her, and as his head was down, he didn't spot her either – until they collided.

"Oof!"

Was the mutual grunt as the two were jarred back to the present reality.

Kit had stumbled into the banister as she fell and now rubbed the back of her head tenderly.

"Jeez, Draco," She moaned, "You've seriously got to learn to watch where you're going."

He smirked and pushed himself off the wall he had been knocked into. "I could quite easily say the same." Sighing, he bent down and reached out a hand and pulled her up.

"Sorry." She mumbled. "I was – thinking."

Draco smiled wanly. "Yeah. I – guess I was a bit preoccupied as well."

"With what?" She replied curiously.

"With whom." He corrected. "Frustrated once again by the mystery of who my father is."

_Frustrated_.

Something relatively like a mental shockwave smashed into her.

Why hadn't she thought of it before! What had Draco said?

"If only my head weren't so foggy..." She muttered.

"What?"

Kit only shook her head and told him to shut up. What had he said?

_...if a person switches their essence with another, it will form a bond between them... I know... I know..._

Draco watched as an odd expression slowly took form on Kit's face; her eyes widening inch by inch, mouth slowly dropping, expanded eyes darting from the chain she had been fingering to his bracelet to his face and back again, all the while saying nothing... it was enough to make him want to shake her.

He couldn't take it anymore.

"What?!"

"D-Draco," She began, licking her lips, "What does this essence thing do? Exactly?"

He growled softly. "It makes a bond between the two individuals, alerting the other to the current situation/emotion of the opposite." He recited impatiently. "Now, what's going on?"

Kit didn't answer as she continued to stare at him. Finally, "Y-you never said anything about that. Ever."

"You didn't ask. Besides, I didn't think I had to."

Suddenly, he was once again aware of how close Kit was. He was aware of how pretty she was. He was aware that she was in his house. He was aware of how she had kissed him so the night before. And he was aware of how she had melted at his touch.

His breath quickened ever so slightly as he inclined his head toward her.

He watched as her darkly framed eyes, such a contrast to the sharp silver of her irises, narrowed ever so slightly as she noted his eye focus.

"Draco, I really don't think –"

Whatever she didn't think, Draco never heard; his lips, perfect if you recall, cut her off, and his arms twined around her, drawing her closer.

For a moment, Kit wavered, struggling to stay out of charm's reach, but with a slight increase of lip pressure, all want to struggle left her.

Their second kiss was... different. Not as soft as the first; not as innocent.

Momentarily, Draco pulled back ever so slightly to look down at her. Her black tresses had tumbled over one shoulder, and her dark, full lips were parted slightly as she gazed steadily back at him. He wondered what she was like beneath her modest, slightly form fitting clothing. He hated only wondering.

Suddenly, he kissed her again, bringing his body up against hers, until he could feel her every curve pressing into him.

Kit's eyes shot open as his hands began to rove. Sliding her hands over his, she intended to pull away – but she was against the wall now. Instead, she attempted to move sideways – no go. He was leaning up against her so heavily, she felt as though she were suffocating... and Draco wasn't taking the hint to stop. Indeed, the words 'stop' and 'no' seemed not to be part of his vocabulary; so instead, she decided to be perfectly blunt. Placing her hands on either side of his face, Kit pulled her head back ever so slightly and, sliding her hands over his mouth, pushed his face away.

He looked so shocked at the motion that she had to laugh.

"Enough – is enough – kay?" She teased, panting slightly.

His only response was to glare at her – partly because he was feeling distinctly ruffled, and partly because Kit's hands were still covering his mouth, impairing his speech abilities.

Kit sighed and removed her hands, instead giving him a hug. "You just get too serious, darnit." She said, somewhat reproachfully. "You need to learn a little something called 'restraint'."

She was glad when Draco finally spoke, if only to protest. "What are you talking about? I know what restraint is, and I do use it."

"Uh huh." Kit replied skeptically, "Then what was with the hands just now?"

Draco stared at her in disbelief. "_That's _what you're talking about? You think _that_ is going too far? In my book, I've used more 'restraint' when it comes to you than I have since I was eight and trying to keep myself from pestering the house elves to see my mother." He smirked. "If I had my way, we wouldn't even be in the hall right now; you would've been in my bed ages ago."

Kit winced slightly. "Thank you for your honesty."

He shrugged. "What can I say, there's a first for everything. But still – what _is_ it with you? You –" He stopped, at loss for words.

"What?" She narrowed her eyes, pulling away from him. "What were you saying?" She prodded his stomach with a finger. "Spill."

"It's just – you're really not like other girls."

"You've just realized that?" She asked, giving an incredulous laugh.

Draco bristled slightly at her words. "Not 'just realized'. Came to the full realization of, more like."

Kit snorted. "Uh huh. Sure. But anyway – let's talk more about _moi_. What about me is so different from the girls _you_ know?"

Draco smirked speculatively. "Temperament, for one. Self-restraint for another."

Kit's eyes narrowed once again, flickering to green. "Go back to temperament."

"And that's another big one!" He exclaimed.

"_What?_"

"Well, actually two." He amended. "You are the only person I know – especially a girl – who actually talks back to me and doesn't think twice."

"What's the second?"

"Your eyes." He answered softly. "They're probably your most wonderful feature. In your face, at least." He added, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

"Like you know of any other of my features." She retorted.

"Well, your latest dress style has certainly given me ideas."

Kit shoved him gently. "You're wacko."

He laughed. "That's not much of a response."

She made a face. "What am I supposed to say?"

Draco smirked. "Well, how about 'Oh Draco, I can't stand it another moment! Please, please, take me, I'm yours!'" Kissing her on the forehead, he added, "I think that could work out pretty smoothly."

Groaning, she rolled her eyes. "Ugh, Draco! You're not even worth hitting anymore!"

"Lucky me."

Kit grinned wryly. "Hey, you said I had an amazing level of self-restraint."

"That's not exactly what I meant."

Suddenly, Kit pushed her face right up to his, locking his eyes with hers. "Then tell me," She said, her voice deep and soft, "What exactly was it that you meant?"

No words came to him.

Her lips quirked up at his silence as she pulled back. "Cat got your tongue, oh little dragon of mine?"

He didn't answer.

Sighing, Kit straightened up and stretched. "Oh well. Draco, can I ask you a question? Don't answer that, I'm asking anyway. What do you _do_ around here? I mean, for the past, what, five years you've been coming back for holidays to sit around here and do... what? Oh, yeah, and you live here the rest of the time."

The corner of his mouth tugged up a bit at her tone. "What, don't tell me you're bored already!" He mocked softly. "This is the Malfoy manor after all; handed down from generation to generation, ancient as anything. Even _I_ haven't found all there is to find here."

The girl's reaction was immediate. "You mean we can... explore?"

Draco snorted. "I don't see why not. It is, after all, _my_ house. I've only finished searching the second floor of the northwest wing."

Kit rolled her eyes in exasperation. "_Why _didn't you bother telling me earlier? Jeez!"

Draco sighed heavily. "Can't you tell, Kit, dearest? I can't think of _anything_ that makes me happier than torturing you."

She made a face. "Ha ha."

* * *

Hello! Yes, it has, once again, been a while since I last wrote, and, once again, I apologize. But, better late than never, eh?

Anyhow, I'd like to express my deepest appreciation toward those who have kept with me through my long, long pauses between chapter updates, and to my ever-beloved reviewers!!

**SiriusLives001:** I love the vote against Ridge... I love to write him, because I hate him so very, very much, if that makes any sense...

**Escaped:** Thank you so much, Escaped! I'm sorry I haven't been reviewing your newest story lately; it's taken me forever to re-settle into the monotonous drone and dredge of school... but, now that I have (I'm not sure if that's good or bad), I have time to catch up with you! Yeah! Oh, and don't worry, I'm not getting rid of Lord Lucius the Luscious... he still has his uses... heheh...

**Pinkeye346:** This may be a little late in reply... but you're the one who half inspired me for the last – it was last, right? – chapter!! So, I wanna say THANK YOU PINKEYE346!!!! how's that?

**LadyJenilyn:** Hey! Thanks for reading, I've seen your name, too, and plan on checking up on you soon... but, don't rely on my definition of 'soon', otherwise, there's no doubt you'll be disappointed... heheh... that's what others say, in any case.

**Rednal29:** Love the evil laugh. Gives me chills. Do it again, oh persistent one!

**Red-Devil15:** Yeah, I think so too. Just don't let certain Malfoy lovers hear you say – well, write – that Malfoy senior is weird... the shock might send them into berserkerness or something... haha...

**Lyric's Angel:** Love the name, not so fond of the attitude. sticks out tongue But I'll give you a smile anyway.

**xsilver-musicx:** I'm not dead yet, am I? As I said, I once again (and probably not for the last time) apologize for taking so long... I hope you still read this...

**Midnight Walker:** Hey, I'm so glad you liked that chapter! I was nervous about writing it, because I hear so many warnings against fluffiness... but, my readers have stuck with me thus far, and now you, so I guess it wasn't too bad of a call!

**GiGiFanFic:** Yeah, it's immensely. And thank you for the compliment! Looking back on my earlier chapters, I'm seriously astounded. I keep thinking, Did I really write that? I could have done so much better, if only... So, one of these days, I'm going to re-write all my early chapters and repost them so prospective readers won't have their stomachs churn up acid at my horrid grammar/punctuation, not to mention the awkward-ish sentences and the descriptions that could be so much better!! So, wait! One day!!

**See you in Chapter Thirty!**

_Silverfey_


	30. Announcing

**Chapter Thirty: Announcing, the Great and Mysterious !**

* * *

The last two days at Malfoy Manor. Everything was going as well as anyone could hope; Lucius Malfoy, frightening patriarch, was gone most of the holidays, Mab only knows; Narcissa Malfoy, stunningly beautiful and oh-so-flighty matriarch was busy as only she could be; Draco was unlike anything everyone had warned her he was, and they were ready to leave and be happy for the rest of their lives.

Except.

Someone didn't like that version of the story.

It started the night Draco and Kit went exploring.

Room to room, they ran through the halls and corridors, silent and breathless as they opened and shut doors all across the third level of the manor. Every now and again, the two hit upon something interesting – an odd bundle of rings, which neither of them was stupid enough to try on; a large volume stretched tight with creaking, snapping leather that reeked of vomit and something that smelled suspiciously of poison; and a red, blood red fountain pen, gold nib and curved to fit the palm.

Nearing the top of one rickety flight of servant's stairs, Kit glanced back over her shoulder at the panting form of Draco and laughed, tripped, and smashed into the stairs. Glancing up, she found herself staring at a skull, bleached ivory pale with the light the shone constantly through the huge glass panels that stretched the height of the house.

"Alas..." She whispered, staring wide eyed into its empty hollows, "Poor Yorick."

Draco, hearing her colossal fall, sprang up the steps two at a time.

"Kit – are you alright? Nothing broken?"

She looked up at him in time to see the smile flicker temperamentally on and off his face, apparently attempting to keep it off.

"Ha. Ha." She grumbled. "It's fine for _you_ to laugh, you didn't fall. Yeah, I'm alright. I just hit my funny bone."

The smirk was back on his face. "Oh, that's not fun. But you know what cures it?"

"What?" She asked suspiciously, surveying his grin.

"A stolen kiss." He murmured in reply, before taking one for himself.

Kit gave a half giggle, half sigh. "Well." She pulled back and cleared her throat. "I thank thee, fair Romeo – but it hast still to work, and so I shalt languish here a while longer until my fret dost leave me be."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Ye olde tongue?"

She pointed to the skull. "In honor of Yorick here. I don't think he'll understand us otherwise."

Draco simply rolled his eyes heavenward. "You're crazy."

"I know." She grinned up at him endearingly. "That's why everyone loves me so." Laughing at his expression, she gave him a shove. "Now, get going and let me be. I'll catch up in a moment."

Grumbling, he obeyed, taking the steps two at a time, though wary so he didn't crash in the same manner.

Looking out at the snowy landscape, Kit failed to notice her silent observer, a soot rub on the powdery white.

He stood, knee deep, eyes narrowing at the sight of the two forms inside the turret. The one he knew to be Draco, but the other... his eyes widened in recognition as she tilted her head up to his kiss. He instinctively took a step back as she turned her head back toward the glass, out of her line of vision, and gave himself a moment to seethe.

The brat got everything. Name, fortune, favor – even looks, according to the general public. It was enough to drive any average guy crazy; everyone at Hogwarts knew that their girl at one point or other had fooled around with Draco, was most likely going to end up screwing around with Draco, or was currently messing around with Draco – and they couldn't do a thing about it. Not only did he have name, wealth, and – according to most under-thirty and then some females – looks, he was also cunning and could fight his own battles exceedingly well, if the need ever arose.

Not that _he_ wasn't pretty wonderful himself. He knew he was, and had more charisma to boot – but he also possessed a terrible arrogance that anyone who knew him could easily begin to hate. Not that they could do anything. He had connections – ones that if called on could be deadly – and most people, knowing that, avoided crossing him.

As it was, much like Draco, he was not much used to being refused anything.

So, having been slighted twice in so many weeks – by a sixth year girl, no less – had left him nothing short of shocked. But now, realizing he had been slighted for the half-pint wizard _Draco_ – it was outrageous! What could _he_ have possibly done to secure the affections and benefits of that particular girl? What offer had he made that he himself could not have matched and exceeded!

Thoroughly enraged, Quentin Ridge swirled his cloak and shoved his way through the thickly piled snow, fury cloaking him against the cold better than any heating charm.

* * *

He-llo again! Long, long, LONG time – and no write. I am sincerely sorry. But it seems that all they say about Junior year is true – it's a personal hell! But, I'm nearly done – thank heaven! – and so, I'll be back to writing regularly soon. How soon, I cannot say – but hey! Do I have any original readers still? Has anyone waited out the long, dreary days of no-me-ness?

If so, review, and I will personally apologize to all of you for my long, _long _delay...

But enough waterworks.

Please, enjoy!

Most Sincerely Yours,

_Silverfey_

_May 19th, 2005_


	31. Decisions, Decisions

**Chapter Thirty One: Decisions, Decisions**

Laughter rang out, loud and clear, a sound more fitting two playmates than two nearly grown children. And yet, it was from these two nearly grown children that the delighted sound issued from.

They were playing.

A long, slick banister inhabited Malfoy Manor, polished and buffed to reflect light as well as a small star. It was down this winding rail that the two slid down.

Breathless, Draco ran up for another slide, Kit right behind him. As Kit came down after him, he held out his arms and caught her as she flew off the balustrade, swinging her around twice before setting her down gently and running up to do it all over again.

This time, Kit got to the top first and, laughing, straddled the railing, blowing a kiss in Draco's direction before zooming off.

This time, however, when she flew off, she hadn't been expecting arms to wrap around her, to lift her into the air and swing her around. So she thought it was Draco, that he had raced back down the stairs to catch her.

Laughing, she closed her eyes and turned in his grip, laying a light kiss on his mouth.

Opening her eyes, she blinked.

The man still held onto her waist, his grip firm even though her feet now touched the ground.

Grinning slightly, he murmured in the voice least favorite to her ears, "Well now. I do believe that that was as pleasant a welcome as I've ever had."

Draco flew of the banister and skidded across the floor on his knees to them. The laughter in his eyes died as he looked at his mother's guest holding onto his favorite girl. Tighter than need be, too, to his imagining.

Standing, he dusted off his hand and held it out, less out of courtesy than out of want to get his hands off Kit. "Quentin." He acknowledged, voice as cold as the wind that lashed outside.

A slow smile spread across his face as he took in the tactics that he himself knew all too well: jealousy. "Draco. Good to see you again. Looks like you've been –" He glanced at Kit "—enjoying yourself. And here I thought you'd be all lonely up in your deserted castle."

"Yes, well." Draco maneuvered himself so that Kit now stood beside him and on the far side of Ridge. "As you can see, that isn't the case."

"As I can see."

His smirk grew as the silence lengthened. Kit shifted.

"Well. It is certainly a pleasure to see _you_ again. Beautiful company is always appreciated." Reaching out, he grasped her hand and bent over it, kissing it lightly.

Kit murmured something indistinguishable and tried to, unobtrusively, draw her hand back, but his grasp tightened.

"It is _always _a pleasure." He repeated, eyes trained solely on Kit.

He knew that his gaze was making her uncomfortable, and he knew the jealousy and anger was boiling up inside of Draco. He let it fester a moment longer.

"Yes. Well." Unable to stand it, Draco stepped up and disengaged their hands. "You'd best go up and see my mother, hadn't you? I'm sure she'll be happy to – accommodate you."

Irritatingly enough, he found that Draco's gaze left no room for argument. Having said his greetings, he had no reason to haunt them any longer before making his presence known to his hostess.

Smiling resignedly, he bowed again. "You're absolutely right. Mab knows how your mother hates to be kept waiting." _All the Malfoys do._

Turning, he began his way up the steps, trailing his hand over the banister that the two had so recently vacated.

Draco turned to Kit, whose face was slowly creeping with a blush. Her eyes were a dark crimson of a firey embarrassment.

Draco raised his eyebrows, waiting.

"Um. Why – why is he –"

"Here?" He interjected helpfully, voice heavy with sarcasm. "Well, my dearest mother decided that since it _is_ the holidays and all, it would be simply _lovely_ if some of our family were brought all together, and since there was a young person joining us, why not invite the next closest in age? Wouldn't it make for a _spectacular_ party?" He glared after the direction Ridge had gone off in. "You can just tell that that was a rhetorical question."

"Oh." Kit was silent for a moment. "So – you two are –"

"Related? Yes." Draco sighed and ran a hand across his face, all smiles exhausted. "Mab, I could count myself host of a thousand 'parties' if only _he_ were not present... but anyway. What's done is done. But you'd think, after last summer... she'd _realize_ or at least not be _completely_ oblivious..." His voice trailed off into a murmur, and he stared off into something unseen by her eyes.

The look she saw there, unshaded for that fraction of a moment, was so lonely, so lost, that it made her heart ache to see. It caused a reaction so deep inside her; it felt as though someone had reached out and snagged her very core. Reaching out, she grasped his arm and hugged it tight, tears pricking at the corner of her eyes. Horrified, she reached up and wiped them away.

"I'm sorry." She murmured, shuffling them away. "I don't know what's wrong with me. But Draco –" She took a deep breath. "Whatever – whatever it is – I'm here. I – I don't plan on leaving you, you know, if – if you ever need me." Looking up into his still, grey eyes, she saw a stirring of something unnamable behind them. "You're too good for this." She whispered fiercely. "Too good for any of it. Remember that?"

Draco stared at her for a long moment. Something unreadable flickered across his features – then quick as it had come, vanished. "Tch." He snorted. "You're so stupid. Getting all concerned and mushy over nothing." He flicked her on the forehead. Hard. "Stupid."

"Hey!" Kit rubbed her head tenderly and scowled. "I am not mushy."

He grinned. "But you admit to being stupid?"

"You're just mean." She said and stuck out her tongue, pure impulse.

To her amazement, he laughed. Not loud or long. It was a surprised sound, as though her wasn't quite used to it and unsure if her were doing it correctly.

"You're right." He told her, the ghost of a smile flickering temporarily across his face. "You're absolutely right. Now get going, we'll meet at supper. And no more puppy eyes, got it?"

"And no cow looks from you, either."

That miraculous sound came again. "Agreed."

Watching him as he jogged up the steps, Kit swiped a fist across her face. "Mushy, he says."

* * *

**Hello! Oh, lucky me, I still have some of you trapped in my snare – you waited! Ach, I'm next to tears... anyway, before the water works start, I'll say thank you and be off to work on my next chapter.**

**Red-Devil15 – **I'll try my best, don't worry – I don't intend to disappoint!

**Midnight Walker – **Thank you, your understanding awes me; if it weren't my story, I'm not sure how much I'd credit me. Um. Yeah. I give you my most ravishing court bow for your compliments!

**JustGinny – **As soon as you get to this chapter, you'll see this in reward to your reply: **KUDOS! HOORAY! TA-DA!**

**Pinkeye346 – **Naturally in response to 'thank-yous,' a 'your welcome' is expected – but I ought to be thanking you instead, cuz you guys stuck with it! (well, if me's an it, then yeah, I s'pose that makes sense...) Hooray! Thank _you!_

**Anyway, I just wanted to do that... you rock!**

**Enjoy!**


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